In a World of What If
by Nevalyn24
Summary: What if Eli "Weevil" Navarro had been leaving the police station when Veronica walked in after Shelly Pomroy's party?
1. Chapter 1

He was about to leave the police station when he saw her walk in. Veronica Mars had been Lily's best friend that much Eli Navarro knew about her. Lily hadn't told him much else about her life, except she loved Veronica Mars like a sister, and she was fiercely protective of the girl. So when he saw her walking up the stairs in her dirty white dress, make up smeared on her face, and he heard her tell the foreign secretary "I need to repot a crime," he decided to wait around.

It wasn't long before she was ushered back into the sheriff's office, which he realized up until a week ago that had been her father's office. Sheriff Mars had been dismissed after accusing Jake Kane of Lily's murder. After Lily died, nothing was the same anymore. Not ten minutes had passed when Veronica tore out of the office, past him, and back out of the station. He could hear the Sheriff laughing in his office, so Eli quickly followed after her.

She hadn't made it far, he found her on her knees in the grass in the park. Luckily for her, no one was around to see her mild meltdown, except for him. "Veronica?" He called out to her, and she whipped her head up to look at him. She stared at him in confusion, slight recognition in her eyes, she knew they went to school together but she never figured that Eli 'Weevil' Navarro would know her by name. "You okay?"

The laugh that escaped her chilled him to the bone, it wasn't the cute girly giggle he had heard from her in the halls of school before; it was a haunted empty laugh. "No." She didn't say anything else, just wiped the tears from her face and stood, brushing the dirt from her knees.

"Here, let me give you a lift home." He began to offer, but when she started to shake her head vehemently he was at a loss. Whatever happened either she didn't want her father finding out, or it happened at home. Either way, he wasn't about to leave her alone Lily would never have forgiven him for leaving her alone in this state. "Okay, then how about we just get you out of the middle of the park?" He suggested softly, walking up to her like you would a stray you didn't want to spook.

"Why are you even talking to me Weevil?" The fact that she knew his name didn't surprise him, he had quite the reputation. However the way she said it without malice was new.

"You look like you could use a friend." Was all he could manage to say, "Let me at least walk you to your car." With a sigh she led him to her convertible LeBaron, and he was shocked at the words written on the car. "You've got to be shitting me." He hissed when he read the vicious _Abel, it should have been her_ written on the back window. When he walked around to the front he saw someone had labeled the driver's side to say _SLUT_.

"Yeah well apparently that's what happens when you crash an 09er party." She muttered, he wanted to point out that up until Lily's death she had been considered an 09er by default, but now was obviously not the time. They had turned on her. And for what, because her dad accused Jake Kane of killing his daughter. Like she made him do so. He wanted to ask her what else happens when you crash an 09er party, but he figured it still wasn't the time.

"Come on, give me your keys," he told her, when she looked at him in confusion he continued, "I got an uncle with a garage, they got a carwash I can use for free." He also didn't want her to have to drive anywhere, not with an arrow with the word slut pointing to her perfect face the whole time. From what Lily had told him, Veronica Mars was still a virgin, and aimed to stay that way until she married Duncan Kane. Even after Duncan dumped her before Lily died.

"I don't think…" she was hesitant, looking at him with distrust. However he didn't take it personally, he knew someone had hurt her bad, he could see it written all over her.

"I ain't gonna hurt you, V. Lily would haunt my ass if I tried." At the name of her deceased best friend she stared at him for a while.

"You knew Lily?" The question soft, but not as disbelieving as he would thought it would be. People like Eli and Lily didn't mix, which is why she made him swear never to tell or she swore to god he'd be sorry. However, now she's dead and it didn't matter who he told, nobody would ever believe a girl like Lily Kane used to call him just to say "I love you, E."

At his nod she didn't say anything else, just handed him the keys and climbed into her passenger seat. He hopped in, adjusting the seat to his large frame, and then pulling away from the curb and down towards his neighborhood as she looked in visor mirror and scrubbed at her face. She didn't even seem to notice, or mind, where they were going, she rid herself of whatever black make up had run down her cheeks. After, she stared blankly out the window it was obvious she was lost in deep thought so he didn't talk, just drove. When he pulled into the garage lot, he swung over to where they detailed the cars for customers.

He could see the two different looks he was getting, from his Uncle Angel's workers. One read the astonishment at the graffiti on the car, and the second, utter disbelief when they realized it was Eli behind the wheel. When he parked, she looked up at him startled for a minute but then relaxed again as if realizing who she was in the car with. "I'm gonna talk to my Uncle for a minute." He said hesitantly, "You wanna wait here?" He watched her nervously look around, her eyes landing at the men leering at them in curiosity. "Or you wanna come in with me?"

"Can I come with you?" She nearly whispered.

"Yeah, come on." He said, climbing out of the front seat and slamming the door behind him. She got out much slower, her arms wrapping around herself as if she was trying to hide. He quickly shrugged off his leather jacket and walked around the car, dropping it on her shoulders.

Veronica's surprised look was not the only one he was getting. Eli was not one of those guys who did gentlemanly things, yet here he was driving around a white girl and giving her his jacket. He ushered her towards the garage entrance where his uncle was standing staring at the pair. She stayed close to his side, her eyes darting wildly around. Eli's uncle looked like he was about to tear him a new one for bringing a preppy little white girl to his less than legal place of business but stopped when he got a good look at her.

She didn't greet him politely like she normally would anyone she met. He had seen her rush to meet the new kids at school just to make them feel welcome. Instead she kept her head down and clutched the leather jacket completely around her so you couldn't see her arms or hands. "What's going on, Eli?"His uncle asked, genuinely curious.

"Somebody messed up her car, wanted to use the wash." Eli told him.

Usually his uncle would say something smart, but instead he cast the defeated looking girl one more look before telling Eli, "You know where everything is at, man." And then he turned back to the shop and wandered off to do whatever had to be done.

Eli wasted no time pulling the car up and getting to work scrubbing the nasty words off her car. "Can I help?" The question was so soft, he almost missed it. When he looked up to tell her that he had everything under control he caught the look in her eye. He knew the look well; it was the look of someone about to break unless they did something, anything that got them out of their own head.

"Yeah," he nodded, grabbing window cleaner and another rag, "Knock yourself out, chica." He said with a smile before going back to the back window. It didn't take them long to clean off the windows and neither seemed to know what to say or do after. "You ready to go home yet?" He asked her after he put the cleaner away and the climbed back into her car.

She looked at her cell phone, as if to see what time it is before nodding, "Yeah." When he started to pull away from the garage she spoke up again, "Do you need to go anywhere, is your bike at the park?"

"Nah," he flashed her a smile, "Lamb was nice enough to give me a ride to the station earlier today." Lamb had dragged him in on some bogus charge to hassle him and then cut him loose like Lamb always does since Eli was investigated in Lily's murder. The thing about being someone's secret lover, when they're murdered you're always suspect number one. "I'll have my boy Felix pick me up."

He headed to the richer part of town where he remembered Lily pointing out her house when they drove by in the middle of the night during their secret rendezvous'. "Turn left." She told him, before he could cross out of the 90902 zipcode towards 90905 or 06 where she lived. He knew she wasn't an 09er by income, just association. She had lucked out being Lily's friend, but she still wasn't poor.

"Thought you wanted to go home." He said an eye brow quirked, complying nonetheless.

"I do." She responded, "At the next light go right." She directed, and he obeyed, her giving vague directions at every turn they made until finally they pulled into the Inn at Cliffside, which was really the last stop before you had to move in to Eli's neighborhood.

"What are we doing here?" He was genuinely confused, he had seen her house. Two stories, a brick exterior, and a perfect lawn. Hell they even had the white picket fence.

"I live here." She sighed, looking at the place like she didn't quite believe it either. "As of two weeks ago." The last part was a lot quieter. They got out of the car, and Eli debated on if it would be quicker to wait for Felix or just walk. "Thanks for…", she hesitated, "helping me." She looked like she had more to say, but he was a stranger to her so this was where they parted ways.

"Anytime, V." He nodded, "You be safe, alright?" It was more of a command than a request, and with her nod he left her bay her car, watching him walk away.


	2. Chapter 2

The following Monday, when Eli pulled up to the rest of the PCHers in the school parking lot, they were all talking about someone and laughing it up at whoever's expense. "Yeah the whole football team man, dude, good girls are always the kinkiest man." Felix was telling Hector.

"What are you going on about man?" Eli asked after pulling off his helmet, wondering what girl got her cherry popped and was now being disgraced to the whole school.

"Veronica Mars, man," Eli stiffened as Felix went on, "Apparently she got real fucked up at some party Friday night and got wild." When everyone realized Eli wasn't laughing they slowly quieted, "What's up, Weevil?"

"Who told you that?" He demanded, climbing off his bike.

"What about the Mars chick?" Felix asked, "Dude everyone's saying it. She fucked everyone man, apparently if you were a dude and you were at that party she would have—"

Eli grabbed the collar of his jacket harshly, "Don't finish that sentence, man." He hissed, before pushing him back towards the others. He didn't wait for any response; instead he scanned the parking lot for her LeBaron. He noticed it parked in the corner of the 02 Lot, and headed over ignoring any calls from his crew.

She wasn't in her car he noticed, but as he approached he noticed some blonde surfer prick about to write on the windows he already washed that Saturday. "What do you think you're doing?" Eli barked, causing the blonde to jump and look at him in confusion.

"Why do you care?" The idiot asked, standing up straighter.

"Looks a lot like vandalism to me," Eli snarked, noticing his crew coming up behind him to have his back, no matter how confused by his actions they were. "Didn't you know all vandalism is to be approved by me?" He was taunting the fool now, waiting for him to make a mistake.

"What is this like when a pimp stands up for his ho?" The bored drawl from behind them grated on his nerves and he knew exactly who it was without turning. Logan Echolls came from the richest family, his parent literally being movies stars. He also happened to be Lily's boyfriend, the one Eli always seemed to get scheduled in between their break ups. Not that Logan knew he had touched Lily, and as much as he would love to rub the smug pricks nose in it, he refused to dirty the memory of Lily in anyone eyes.

"No, it's more like when I tell you that if you fuck with V, I'm going to bash your face in." Eli smirked at the surprised look that crossed his name when he referred to Veronica by her initial. To anyone else, it didn't sound like they just met on Saturday. Him calling her V almost sounded intimate, him threatening people for messing with her definitely did. Eli tried to keep telling himself this was for Lily, he was just helping Veronica for Lily, but he knew it was a lie. The moment he saw the broken look in her eyes he knew he was going to help her.

"Eli?" The quiet voice had him whipping around to see her. She had changed drastically in the past two days and he wondered if she had been standing there the whole time. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail, instead of the way she used to wear it down, and there wasn't a trace of pink on her anywhere. Instead of her normal skirts or dresses she wore loose jeans and a baggy sweatshirt and his jacket.

"Hey there, V." He greeted her with a smile, and everyone in the parking lot seemed to staring in awe. He knew he had forgotten to get his jacket back from her, but he hadn't expected to see her wear it to school. He liked her in it, but didn't protest when she shrugged it off her shoulders and returned it to him.

"You had already left when I noticed it was still in my car." The audience built at that, Eli Navarro rode around in Veronica Mars' car? He wasn't helping the rumors about her.

"Slumming it now, _**V**_?" Logan sneered the nickname like a curse word.

"No, that's what I was doing Friday." She responded sharply, glancing his way but Eli noticed she still wasn't looking anyone quite in the eyes, except for him.

"No that's what we were doing, Veronica," Logan leered, "Since we were twelve and Lily made us talk to you." Eli went to step forward, but Veronica grabbed his hand, but let go as soon as he stopped to look to her she dropped it quickly.

"Don't get in trouble over him, he's not worth it." She muttered, she looked back up at Eli and nodded her head to the school before slowly heading that way.

Eli watched her get a few feet away before he started walking after her, stopping to lean in near Echolls, "When I find out what you fucks did to her on Friday," he hissed, "I'm gonna be coming for all of you." He didn't wait for a response, just stormed after the petite blonde, his crew behind him. "Hey, V, wait up." He called out, when he realized how far ahead she managed to get.

She glanced over her shoulder and slowed her pace, allowing them to catch up. He noticed as the rest of his crew neared she moved herself closer to him. She looked up at him expectantly, like she was waiting for him to speak again, but he just fell into pace beside her. He could see the people around them talking. With a few well shot glares most of them scattered like the cockroaches they were, which gave them something else to talk about entirely. "Thank you, Eli." She murmured, when they neared her class and she realized he had escorted her the whole way, a pack of leather clad bikers in tow.

"Don't mention it," he shrugged, "I'll see you around." And he left her there in the hall to go into her class.

When Eli and the rest of the PCH gang were halfway to auto shop, Felix spoke up. "What are you doin' helping an 09er, Weevil?" He asked, not accusingly but genuinely confused.

"V, ain't an 09er." He shrugged.

"You're joking right? That's Duncan Kane's girl." Hector piped up.

"She lives at the Inn, man." He told them, "She ain't an 09er."

"Blondie lives in the 02?" Felix said with disbelief, "Since when?" When Eli shrugged Felix continued, "Well she used to hide it well." No one was mistaking her for an 09er anymore. By the end of third block he was ready to kill. He was sitting behind Duncan Kane himself, who was just listening to the other people talk shit about Veronica. Virginal V was the school whore now apparently. The more rumors he heard the more he wondered what had really happened to her that Friday. When one 09er said something particularly vulgar involving V's body being used as a salt lick he snapped.

"Hey, you just gonna let him talk about your girl like that?" Eli hissed at Duncan, causing him to turn around to glare back at Weevil.

"From what I hear she's your girl now." It was a bitter response and it only made Eli smirk, not even correcting him. The more people who thought she was with him the better, at least people would know the PCH was behind her if they tried to hurt her again. At the thought of her in the dirty white dress and tears down her face, sobbing in the park his anger increased. Nothing held him back from launching himself at the 09er who dared asked if wanted to make some extra cash, leasing his whore. Even though he was suspended for a week, he was satisfied that the rich punk was missing his front three teeth.

The only problem with his suspension is he wasn't allowed on school property until his suspension was up. He debated on waiting outside the gates of the school but decided against it, he had already shown the 09ers where he stood with her. If they were smart, they'd leave her be from now on.


	3. Chapter 3

He tried to stay away, for reputations sake, but only lasted until two days into his suspension. It was nearly 3 and he stood, leaning against his bike outside the Inn when she got home from school. He was surprised by the smile she gave him, before that sad look she had been wearing recently came back. "Hi Eli." She greeted, he still was unsure when she decided to address him by his real name, she always used to refer to him as Weevil like everyone else, but he liked the way Eli sounded coming from her.

"Hey, V." He nodded in greeting, taking in her appearance. Her hair was down today, but it wasn't clipped back in a cute butterfly barrette she would have worn before. She was in jeans again, and this time she was wearing an old police academy sweatshirt that probably belonged to her dad. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine." She said, "I haven't seen you around." She gave him a questioning look, almost accusing.

"Got suspended."

"Yeah I heard," she nodded, still giving him the questioning look, but after a moment it disappeared, "When you see Felix later today will you tell him I said thanks." That caught his attention.

"What are you thanking him for?" It was Eli's turn to cast a questioning glance. "I didn't know you even knew that fools name."

"Well I didn't." She said honestly, a look of guilt crossing her features which stunned him, "But then Logan was…", she sighed sadly, "being an ass." He knew there was more to it, but let her finish before asking questions. "Felix made him leave me alone."

"Good." Eli nodded, deciding after this he would make a trip over to his friend's house and ask him for the details. He wanted to ask her about Friday, but he knew that she wasn't going to tell him after just five days of talking to him. He was Weevil, gang leader of the PCHers, no one trusted him with stuff like secrets and emotions. Hell most people thought he was a heartless monster, which in his world was the way he needed to be viewed to survive.

After a moment of silence she spoke up, "Do you want to come in?"

Giving her a calculating stare he answered, "Depends, will the sheriff kill me?"

She laughed, an edgy bite underneath the humor, "You could be trying to kill me in front of him, and I think Lamb might cheer you on." He digested the information, not correcting her to tell her he meant her father not Lamb. Instead he followed her up a flight of stairs to her small apartment.

It wasn't very big, not much bigger than his own home, the only difference is she didn't have cousins and nieces running around. The apartment was dark and dank, and he heard Veronica curse lightly, which stunned him way more than when a feminine slur sounded from a bedroom. "Ronnie, is that you, honey?" He had heard his fair share of alcoholics and this woman sounded like she had recently climbed out of a bottle.

The mortification on her face was evident, "Umm, I thought she—". Before she could finish a older blonde woman in a bathrobe stumbled into the room, water bottle in hand. Eli figured it was more likely filled with vodka rather than water the way she clutched the doorway to hold herself up, never abandoning the bottle.

"Veronica!" The woman, who barely resembled the woman he recognized as the former Sheriff's wife, slurred, "I didn't know you were bringing friends over, I would have cleaned up." Sobered up was the verb she was looking for, he thought, but still he said nothing.

"I thought you had a meeting today." Veronica said softly to her mom, and by the look of disappointment in V's eyes Eli figured it wasn't a business meeting.

"Oh well," The woman started to say, but Veronica just shook her head and turned back to Eli.

"I think you should go, Eli." She murmured, not looking him in the eyes. "I've got things to take care of." A drunk to put to bed more like. But he knew this shame all too well and nodded, taking his leave. Before he closed the door behind him she called out, "Thank you Eli."

"Anytime, V."

He went to Felix's afterwards, who was sitting on his porch nursing a beer. "Hey man, what's goin on?"

"Veronica wanted me to thank you for her." Eli said, climbing off the bike and heading his way. "Somethin' happen I don't know about?"

Felix shrugged, "Saw her crying in the hall," taking a sip of his beer as Eli found himself growing angry, "When I got closer I saw why she was crying, so I took care it." Eli was kind of surprised by the anger in Felix's tone. "I don't think Echolls is gonna fuck with her anymore."

"What was he doing?" Eli demanded.

"Talking shit, but what he was saying was just hitting her pretty hard." Felix said with a frown, "I tried to get her to skip the rest of the day but she just went to class." Eli grabbed a beer from the six pack Felix was working on.

"You hear what he said?"

Felix nodded, "The whole hallway heard," he told him, "He handed her a hundred and asked for a night. Then when she shoved it back at him he told her to keep it, and that he was sure her mom had drank them dry by now." He was going to kill that bastard, "So then I slammed his face into the locker and told him to get lost."

"Good." He nodded, happy his friend had known to protect her.

"What's up with you and Blondie anyway?" Felix asked after they finished a few beers in silence, listening to the sounds of the neighborhood as the sun set.

"Just looking out for her, man." He tried to tell himself yet again that it was just for Lily, but he knew that was a lie, and it was becoming more of a lie the more he looked out for her.

"Yeah, but why? You ain't ever cared about her before now." That was true. "What changed?" Eli took a sip of his drink and found himself telling Felix about his strange Saturday morning after he had been dragged down to the police station. He told him about Veronica and how desperate she looked going into the office, how broken she left, and how he found her in the park. "You think they hurt her?" There was a certain edge in his voice as he elaborated, "Hurt her how?"

Eli scratched the back of his head man, "I don't know for sure man, but any scenario I come up with…it ain't good." He hoped he was wrong, but the feeling in his gut told him he wasn't. "Something happened at that party."


	4. Chapter 4

Felix and Eli had made a point to watch out for Veronica over the next month. They never outright said it, but if one wasn't near her the other was. If she noticed her two shadows she never let on that it bothered her, she'd simply shoot them a smile and continue on her way. Most of the 09ers had learned to keep away from her, and her need for a shadow became less, but Eli still found himself around her regardless.

"Can I get a ride home after school?" He grinned at the voice before he even turned around, knowing who it was in a heartbeat, firstly because what other girl would just ask him for a ride.

"Something wrong with your car, V?" he asked when he finally did turn around to look down at her. At her hesitation his smile fell from his face, "What they do to your car?" He demanded.

"I've got a flat tire." She shrugged as if it was no big deal, but at his raised brow she sighed, "or four."

"They let the air out of your tires?" He could fix that in the parking lot if he borrowed the air pump from auto shop.

She laughed, "No that would be too nice of them." She shook her head, "They slashed my tires. I needed to get them replaced anyway." He knew for a fact she didn't because his Uncle Angel had changed them two of them last week when someone slashed them, but he didn't say anything.

"Yeah, I'll give you a ride home." He reassured her, but when she shifted her weight he looked at her curiously, "Something else?"

"I just…" She looked around and when she saw they were completely alone in the hall she leaned forward, "I've got a doctor's appointment after school. I just need to get dropped off."

"You okay?" He asked concerned, he hadn't seen her so much as sneeze.

"Yeah, my mom's just making me talk to someone…", she trailed off giving him a look that said 'please figure it out yourself'. Then he did, she was asking him to drop her off at her shrink.

"Yeah I got you, V." He grinned at her, "Meet me at my bike after school, alright." With a nod and a quite 'Thanks', she darted off in the direction of her next class.

When the last bell rang, he made his way to his bike only to see Veronica already waiting for him, while talking to Felix. It wasn't until he got closer that he could tell they were arguing about something, and neither had taken notice of his slow arrival. He slowed down, trying to focus on what they were saying. He couldn't hear anything yet, but Felix look downright pissed while Veronica was saying something to him that just made him angrier.

"Let you handle it?" He heard Felix bark loudly as he got closer, "Because you seem to have it all under control don't you, V?"

"Felix, it was just my tires." She hissed.

"Just your tires?" He said, in total disbelief. "It was just your tires because I happened to be there!" Eli stilled, Veronica's words '_They slashed my tires'_, flickered through his mind. What did Felix mean if he hadn't been there?

"He wouldn't have—", her tone soft and unsure.

"What hurt you?" Felix all but sneered, "Not a theory I'd put to the test if I were you."

"Please just don't tell, Eli." She nearly begged, and Eli then decided to make his presence known.

"Don't tell me what?" He demanded his voice stone cold. "Keeping secrets, are we, V?" She wouldn't even look at me, just simply hung her head in shame. "What's going on Felix?" He asked his right hand. Felix stared at Veronica for a minute, before simply shrugging. "So, both of you got secrets now."

"Weevs," Felix started to make an excuse but Eli's glare stopped him short, "Veronica and Dick got into it today." Veronica's head snapped up, "When I got here she was at her car and he was waving a knife at her."

"Felix!" She yelped, "It wasn't like that." She turned to Eli, "It's not a big deal, Eli. Really!"

Eli was shaking he was so mad, his fists opening and closing just itching to hit someone. "Not a big deal." He laughed humorously, grinning at Felix who was looking at him nervously, "Someone points a knife at her and she says no big deal."

"I caught him slashing my tires, he wasn't going to use the knife on me." She said, but her voice sounded doubtful and that was too much for him.

"Where is he?" Still addressing Felix, who started glancing around.

"Eli, please just drop it." She begged, "Let's just go." He was about to walk in the direction Felix pointed when Veronica grabbed his hand. This time not letting go, "Please, Eli?" There were tears in her eyes, which she blinked back quickly.

"I can't let him get away with something like that." Eli's biggest regret was pulling his hand from hers and storming off, "Felix will take you where you need to go." She didn't say anything else to him, just turned and started walking towards Felix's bike.

"You sure about this, man?" Felix asked, but at Eli's glare he raised his hands in defeat and followed after Veronica. He had a 09er to beat.

He found Dick Casablancas with Echolls walking towards the obnoxious yellow truck Echolls drove. He didn't give them warning, didn't even ask for back up from his crew. Instead he reached them just as Dick was about to open the passenger door when Eli shoved his face into the car door.

"What the fuck!" He heard Logan yell, as he made his way towards him to help Dick, but when Eli pulled out a switchblade and held it under Dick's chin Logan stopped. "Hey, take it easy, dude."

Eli scowled at Logan, before addressing Dick who was stuttering pathetically. "Not so fun being on this end of the knife is it?" Eli growled into his ear, "It's kind of scary right?" Dick nodded as he continued, Logan looking on in utter confusion, "You just don't know what's gonna happen. Are you gonna walk away without a scratch? Or will there be anything left by the time I'm done?"

"Dude, I can give you whatever," Logan exclaimed, his voice without the usual drawl, "How much do you want?"

Eli laughed, "This ain't about money, and even if it was." He glared at Logan, "Not even you are rich enough to pay me to forget that this fucker" he shoved into Dick a little more, "had his own knife pointed at my girl." He didn't know what made him address Veronica as such, but chose not to correct himself.

"Veronica?" Logan asked with confusion, "You threatened Ronnie with a knife?" The question addressed to Dick.

"I wasn't serious man!" Dick nearly screamed, but quieted as Eli pressed the knife closer. "I'm sorry, man, I'm sorry." Eli pulled back the knife and as the kid let out a sigh of relief Eli rocked him right in the jaw, watching him drop instantly.

"I'm gonna say this once Echolls." Eli growled, staring down at Dick but he knew Logan was listening, "One of your friends pulls something like that again, I'm coming after you when I finish with them." And with that he stormed away.

Veronica was mad at him, that much he knew. She hadn't smiled or waved when she caught his eye the next day. Instead she sighed and just kept going. He was called into Clemmons office and suspended for another week, but when he came back she didn't ask for any rides, or for anything for what seemed like forever. From a distance he could see her becoming sadder and sadder, until one late February day she arrived at school…different.


	5. Chapter 5

He saw her car pulling into the lot, the words YOUR A WHORE written in white on her back windshield. He growled, catching the attention of Felix who just sighed when he saw it as well. They watched her park on the other side of the lot, turn off her car and then climb out. Eli and Felix both stopped dead. She had chopped away her long golden locks and sported a short and edgy haircut that sat above her shoulders, and the sad broken look was replaced with a scowl.

Slamming her door she walked around and stared at the graffiti as Felix and Eli continued to approach. They were surprised, to say the least, when she looked over to the 09ers who were pointing and laughing, and then pulled out a thick marker. Going up to her window she corrected the white sentence so that it read YOU'RE A WHORE.

"Didn't figure you for a grammar nazi." Felix laughed, throwing an arm around her shoulder. Eli pushed down the surge of jealousy that went through him. Even though she had been avoiding Eli, she apparently she was still okay with Felix.

"Learn something new every day." She smirked, catching both boys off guard. Where did this backbone come from? "What are you two up to?" She asked nonchalantly as she tucked the marker away and grabbed her bag.

"Well, I came to see Veronica, but then you stepped out of her car." Felix teased, "What's with the new do, chica?" He asked playing with the end of a short blonde strand.

"Needed something different." She shrugged. "Tired of looking at a ghost in the mirror." Neither boy knew how to respond to that, so neither did. After a moment she turned to Eli, "What's going on Weevil." He name hit him hard, and even Felix stiffened at the title. She was the only one even allowed to call him Eli, and here she is not even acknowledging the stab she just made.

"Nothing that concerns you, Blondie." He shot back more viciously than he meant to and they stared at each other for a long time.

"Yeah," She agreed, "I guess what you do really doesn't concern me, does it." And with that she left both of them standing there, watching her walk away from them.

"What was that about, man?" Felix asked. Eli didn't answer, he didn't know, he just walked back over to his bike and got on, trying to ignore the pain in his chest.

He didn't try to reach out to her again and he never found out the truth about the day he found her in the park. Felix even tried to get him to talk to her, but he simply refused. Both Eli and Veronica were far too stubborn to apologize. Even when the rumors started back up, not that they ever stopped but they had quieted with him by her side. Now the rumor was Eli used her up and tossed her out, so she was free game. However, Felix made it known that even if Eli did turn the other cheek, if he saw someone cross her it was eye for an eye, until the end of sophmore year and then he didn't see her all summer and he assumed neither had Felix.

"You might want to go talk to Blondie." Hector walked up to him on the first day of their junior year during lunch, getting odd looks from both Felix and Eli.

"And why might I want to go and do that, Hector?" Eli sneered.

"Cuz' man, she cut down the snitch." He told him. Eli and Felix both started looked around and sure enough, in the middle of the court yard sat the small blonde at her usual table, but today she had the company of the scrawny black kid they had duct taped naked to the flagpole this morning as punishment for calling the cops on his boy Hector.

That caught him by surprise; Veronica had never intervened in his business before. Ever since the day in the parking lot before summer break, she hadn't even glanced in his direction. He had to admit it was nice to see her not sitting alone for once, the only person he ever saw her with was Felix and that when he was defending her or helping her change a tire.

Eli shook the thought away and got up, heading over to their table, "My bitch!" He snapped, just as he passed Veronica, ignoring the look from Felix, and getting up in the black kids face, "Didn't I tell you to wait for me by the flag pole? I didn't think I could make myself clearer." He had yet to acknowledge Veronica's presence next to him, but he could feel her eyes on him.

The scrawny kid lets out a nervous laugh, thinking Eli is playing a game with him, "I get it very funny."

"You get what?" Eli hissed angrily, this kid was getting two of his boys sent away, "You get that you're a dead man?" He went to say something else when she finally spoke.

"Leave him alone." A command not a request. The first thing she says to him in months, and she's telling him to leave alone his snitch.

Eli tries to control his anger, as he stands and turns to her, "Sister," He smirks down at her, "The only time I care what a woman has to say is when she riding my big ole hog" There was a time she had asked for a ride on his motorcycle, but he sent her with Felix instead, "but even then, it's not so much words as it is oos and ahs, you know what I'm saying?" He smirked at her, waiting for her to blush or look away.

Felix was shaking his head at him, but stopped when Veronica leaned forward a glint in her eye, "So it's big huh?" He had to keep his jaw from dropping. He'd never heard her say something like that, he almost didn't reply as she smiled up at him, Felix looking at her in shock as well.

"Legendary." Eli grinned at her, wondering what surprises she was going to throw at him next.

"Well lets see it." Felix choked, as Eli stared at her in disbelief, "I mean if it's as big as you say, I'll be your girlfriend." He could hear the teasing in her voice, but all he could think of is 'when and where' , "We can even go to prom together." He stared at her in awe for a moment before she snapped him back into reality, "Well, what seems to be the problem? I'm on a schedule here, Vato." Vato, not even Weevil this time.

"Go ahead and show her, Weevs, if she's gonna beg for it." Felix he told him, laughing.

"Looks like your buddy here wants to see it too." Felix stopped laughing, she always referred to him by his name, even after she stopped talking to Eli. Eli could see a flash of regret, as she witnessed Felix's demeanor change but she pulled up a poker face.

"Forgot V, you've seen so many it's like looking at the back of your hand." Felix spat. One thing Eli knew about Felix is when someone hurt his feelings he lashed out. Unfortunately by the look on Veronica's face, she wasn't privy to such information. "Hell I'll show you mine." He started walking up to her hands on his belt when Eli held an arm out to stop him, before he did something he regret. It was that moment, the vice principal noticed, sending Felix and Eli away only for them to hear V.P. Clemmons blaming Veronica for attracting trouble. He tried to shake off the guilt, and by the look on Felix's face he was trying to do the same.


	6. Chapter 6

That night he spots her outside the Camelot and he pulls up beside her, with the rest of his crew in tow, "Car trouble, miss?" He asks sarcastically, trying not to think back to the day he washed her windows or when he changed her tires. They had only hung out for 3 months, before they snubbed each other last year, but he missed her. He wanted to know why she was sitting outside the seedy motel in the first place, parked with a thermos in hand. Looking like she did this all the time.

"Yes, actually," she smirked at him, "I think it's a loose belt, you can check under my hood if you want." The suggestion was clear and it caught him off guard.

One of his lackeys, who had been jumped in over the summer, was too eager and didn't know their history. "Hey, Weevs, who gets the first dance." If the dog in her back seat hadn't of lunged for him as he went to grab V, Eli would have. He didn't miss the sudden look of fear in her eyes, as her dog growled standing on top what's-his-face, her look of distrust boring through him.

Felix rushed up to the window, no doubt to calm her down and get her dog, but she flinched, noticeably, and held up her charged taser for all to see. They had scared her. Felix stopped midstride, arms raised, "Whoa, V!" He exclaimed, "Just call your dog okay?" He went to edge forward, but Eli called him back telling him not to be stupid. She called the dog, whom with some of the bikers jacket, hopped back in the car window.

"Can we talk, V?" Eli asked after a watching her stare at him, his voice a lot gentler than anyone had heard it in a while.

"Depends on what your definition of talking is." She said bluntly, obvious distrust in her words.

"You cut down my snitch, V." Eli shook his head trying not to let the guilt that was riding up in his chest affect why he was there, "since when do you mess in my business?" He was curious.

"I'll make you a deal." She said, ignoring his question completely, "You leave me and Wallace alone for a week, I'll get your boys off." Eli eyed her skeptically. He knew her dad was a P.I. now, but there was no way she had a get out of jail free card up her sleeve.

"Why do you care about that scrawny negro anyway?" When she didn't answer he sighed, "One week, V. Then I'm coming for him." He warned her, before pulling away his crew following him closely behind.

Eli was at Felix's the day Hector and his friend had court for the Sac-N-Pac robbery. So he was shocked to say the least when Hector came in with beer to celebrate the case being dropped. "What the hell man, they had you red handed, esse." Eli laughed, accepting a beer.

"I thought we were getting put away man. The Sherrif's on the stand right?" He said setting up the story, "Then all the sudden Blondie just walks in like she owns the place. Takes a seat and just watches."

"V?" Eli asked, and when Hector nodded Eli elaborated, "Veronica Mars just walked in and sat down?"

"That's what I'm saying man." Hector nodded with a grin, Felix and Eli still utterly confused on what had happened. "Anyway, for some reason that makes Lamb stop talking and the judge tells them to put in the surveillance tape for everyone in the room to see." The smile on Hector looked like his face might split.

"Where does the you getting dismissed come in?" Felix questioned.

"That's the thing man, it wasn't the right tape!"

"What?" Eli was more than confused.

"Instead of me and Phung robbing the S and P it was one of Lamb's deputies buying a hooker." Hector cackled, "In uniform and everything."

"What!"

"That's not even the best part!" Hector tells him, still grinning. When they don't interrupt they continue, "Lamb's all out of sorts about it, doesn't know what to say and the judge is giving him hell."

"And?"

"You're girl man," Hector nodded his head in what could be acceptance, "Lamb looks over at her and she just" he motions finger into a gun motion, " with her hand and winks at him before just walking out. Our lawyer even nodded at her like they knew each other."

"My girl?" Eli echoed.

"Yeah man, V." Hector nodded. "She got the case dropped man." Felix gave Eli a questioning look, as if asking if he knew about any of this. Eli was at a loss for words, who knew Veronica Mars was capable of pulling something like that off.

Before he could say anything else, Eli's phone went off. "Yeah." He answered.

"You know how you said keep an eye on Blondie?" Juan's voice sounded over the other end.

"Yeah, why?" He demanded sharply, catching the attention of Felix and Hector

"I don't know where she and the snitch are, but that Echolls kid is waiting with some 09ers by her car." Juan sounded hesitant to continue.

"And?" Eli said, getting up to get his shoes and jacket regardless.

"I don't think she's gonna be able to handle them alone." He said.

Eli was about to snap at his vague statements, "You gonna explain why V of all people can't handle Echolls?" At that sentence Felix and Hector were up and following him to the door.

"He's got a crowbar…and he's just waiting for her." Eli hung up and grabbed his helmet before tearing out of the house. He doesn't really remember the ride there, except that it took far less time than it legally should have. When he pulled up he saw Veronica immediately, standing in front of Echolls who had the crowbar over his shoulders, and a smirk on his face, which Eli vowed to knock off.

Eli was seeing red by the time he parked his bike, the rest of his crew finally catching up behind him. The 09ers looked surprised; Eli hadn't stood up for Veronica in a long time. Felix would if he saw anything in the halls, but they had never been called to the rescue like this. It made him wonder if maybe he should have had Juan watching her long before they taped the scrawny kid to the flagpole.

"Well what to do we have here?" He hollered over to them, as he set down his helmet and climbed off his bike. He noticed that the headlights on Veronica's car had been taken out. "Vandalism? Haven't I done the spiel before?" He asked Logan as he approached.

"Look, I don't have a problem with you, man." Logan said hesitantly, like he was rethinking his previous decisions. Last he had heard Weevil was giving Veronica the cold shoulder.

"That's where you're wrong." Eli hissed, yanking the crowbar from his grasp. Felix had made his way to the car Logan had arrived in, which Eli recognized wasn't the normal obnoxious yellow vehicle he drove. While Felix made some jokes about whatever music they had in their car, Eli gripped the crow bar, wondering how satisfied he'd be busting the cocky fuckers knee caps. One glance at Veronica, he knew that wasn't an option, so he turned to the car ignoring the other 09ers protests as he brought the crowbar down on the hood. He took out both lights, "Eye for an eye, there you go head for the hills." He spat at Logan's followers. "Don't make me say it twice."

Logan made to move towards the rest of his friend when Eli stopped him, "Not you." Eli growled, "You apologize."

"Rub a lamp." Logan replied, only to get Eli's fist to the gut.

"Say you're sorry." Eli demanded again.

"Kiss my ass." Logan smirked up, ignoring any pain he was in. Eli hit him again, this time in the face. If he couldn't break his kness, he'd be satisfied with his nose.

"Now…" Eli began again, ready to do this all day when she stopped.

"Don't. I don't want his apology." She said.

That made him smile, dropping Logan to the ground in the process. "Good, he doesn't deserve your forgiveness." He stepped over Logan, and walked towards her, "You okay?" When all she did was nod he continued, "So that surveillance tape just…poof?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"That's fortunate." She smiled knowingly at him, and he grinned back at her.

"Bring your car by my uncles tomorrow, I'll make sure your body gets the full service treatment." He smirked suggestively.

"Okay," she laughed, "Now you apologize."

"I'm sorry," he teased, "was that too inappropriate for you?"

"Not to me, dork." She said, nodding her head to the scrawny kid. He thought about protesting, but she was still smiling at him. Not scowling or frowning, but really smiling. He muttered something of the apology. The scrawny kid nodded, before heading over to her car, loading his model plane he had been clutching the entire time. "Thanks Eli." And with that she left him, a grin on his face.


	7. Chapter 7

Eli was working on a old Buick when his uncle hollered his name. He pulled himself out from underneath the car and wiped his hands on the rag he kept in his back pocket of his work pants. "Yeah, what's up?" He asked, when he spotted his uncle walking towards him.

"That little white chick is here for you." He didn't need to be told twice before heading over to where he saw her car parked.

"Hey, V." He grinned at her, "Here to take me up on my offer?" He waggled his eyebrows at her jokingly.

"I came to ask for an estimate." She told him with a grin. "For the two headlights."

"Don't worry about it." He told her, "It'll be a couple hours before I can get to it, do you got a ride home or do you want me to have Felix come get you."

"Can you ask Felix?" At his nod she continued, "Would you mind driving it back to my place when you get off? I can drive you back here for your bike after." She asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, but I rode in with some guys today so don't worry about driving me back here." He reassured her figuring he'd walk home like had done the first day he drove her home. Glancing down at the watch on his grease smeared wrists, deciding if he skipped lunch he could get it all done, "I'll bring it by around 6, that's when I get off." She nodded in agreement as he pulled out his phone to text Felix to get Veronica.

He waited with her until Felix pulled in, which didn't take him long at all. She handed him the keys and she promised to return it in pristine condition. "I'm trusting you, Eli." She grinned at him, "Don't make me have to hurt you because you decided to cube my car." He raised an eyebrow raised, curious on how she knew anything about him crushing cars, and Felix seemed curious as well.

"Now would I do something like that?"

"Yeah, but with your luck you'd cube the wrong one." Her eyes sparkled with mirth and mystery and it was addicting to him.

"That's quite the imagination you have, V." he grinned, rubbing his shaven head, wondering just exactly how she knew about cubing the wrong truck last summer. She mirrored his own smirk back at him, before turning around to walk towards Felix.

"I'll see you tonight, Eli." She called out, before pulling Felix's helmet down over her head. Felix flashed in a look that Eli couldn't read, before speeding off. Eli watched them turn the corner and disappear before he went back into the shop.

"You giving parts for free?" His uncle demanded, noticing the headlight damage.

"She got Hector and Phung's charges dropped," he shrugged, "club owes her." He waited for his uncle to say something else, but instead found himself on the end of a calculating stare.

"Finish your other work first," His uncle finally said, "I don't want you rushing shit just to get her car done on time. I've got paying customers." Eli nodded in agreement before returning to work on the Buick he had been working on.

Eli tried to wash most of the grease from his arms and changed out of his shop suit, before sliding into her car. The drive from the shop to her house was relatively short, and he found himself pulling into the parking lot a little after six.

He didn't want to knock on the door, the memory of her drunken mother still in his mind. She had been embarrassed last time he saw, she probably wouldn't appreciate him seeing it again. So pulling out his cell he punched in the numbers she had given him so long ago and shot a one word text, _Here._

It wasn't long before the second floor apartment door open and the blonde girl popped her head over the railing, "Come on up!" She hollered, waving before turning back to the apartment and leaving the door open behind her.

He didn't need to be told twice, he quickly locked her doors and hurried up the stairs, venturing into her home, which he hadn't stepped foot in nearly 8 months. Just as he stepped over the threshold a low growl sounded from his right. Turning quickly, he saw the dog that had lunged at the dumb lackey the day before, now looking at Eli like he was the next target, teeth bared and hackles raised.

"Backup," Veronica snapped, and Eli did so hands raised in defense.

"You told me to come in, chica." He said looking at her confused.

She laughed, "Not you." She chuckled, "Backup," The dog looked at her, "Chill." The dog laid at her feet instantly.

"You named your dog Backup?" Eli questioned lowering his hands, and edging in wondering if the dog was really going to chill or not. When she nodded, he asked further, "Since when do you have a dog anyway?" He had never seen the brown pit since before the other night.

"Dad bought him for me since I'm home alone a lot now." She shrugged, "And that's what he is my backup." Eli nodded, still confused by her response but looking around things started to piece together. The last time he had been here the room smelled of spilt booze, stale smoke and air freshener. All the curtains had been closed and it was dark. There had also been pictures, family pictures on the walls. Now it was spotless, and bright. There wasn't a trace of smoke of booze in the house, and the walls were incredibly bare.

"Where's your mom?" Eli asked softly.

Her eyes glared daggers at him, "That's really not funny, Weevil." At his confused look she continued, "You're telling me you haven't heard?"

"Heard what?" He tried to keep the worry out of his voice. "What happened?"

Veronica stared at him for a minute, like analyzing him. "She left." She said bluntly, "Months ago." He didn't know what to say, he knew from personal experience no sorry was going to fix that hurt. "Anyway, you want a ride home, I was about to nuke some leftover pizza for dinner if you want some." She changed the conversation, and Eli smiled at the invitation.

"And what would Sheriff Mars say when he walks in on his most frequent flyer and his daughter being friendly like." He gave her a pointed look.

"Oh I'm saving that heart attack for a rainy day." She smirked up at him, "But he won't be home till tomorrow night anyway. He's chasing some forger in LV." She told him as if that was a normal thing. He frowned at the thought of her being alone over night, and the thought of her resorting to leftovers.

"I got a better idea," he couldn't stop himself, "It's Wednesday, so my abuela's cooking for the family which means she's cooking for 40 and only 7 will be there. How about you come with me."

"I don't want to intrude on your family dinner, Eli." She said softly, "But you should go, more pizza for me." The smile didn't quite reach her eyes so he insisted.

"Felix is going to be there, you ain't intruding you're accepting an invitation." He told her, then glanced down at her pajama pants, "Just throw on some jeans and lets go." He didn't leave her time to object before grabbing the pizza box that he saw on the counter and putting it back into her fridge which he noted was pretty much bear except a half full jug of milk and a stick of butter. When he closed the door and saw her still staring at her in confusion he laughed, "Hop to, chica, we ain't got all night." After casting him a look he couldn't decipher, she disappeared into another room.

Minutes later she came back out, in tight black jeans and a blue sweater. "Is this okay?" She asked, holding out her arms and looking down at her.

"It's perfect," he told her, and she was. She walked Backup before they left. "You want me to drive?"

She just shrugged, walking over to the passenger side door and waited for him to unlock the car and slide in. "Are you sure your grandmother will be okay with me coming?" She asked softly, as the turned on to the highway.

"She'll be thrilled," Eli laughed, and he wasn't kidding. Since his ninth grade fling with good girl Carmen, his abuela had been on him to bring home a nice girl for a long time. They drove in silence for the short trip. Pulling up, Eli's niece and nephew stood on the porch staring at the car in confusion.

"Uncle Eli, why are you driving a car?" Little Ofelia called from the steps, as he got out of the car.

"Because I brought company." He teased back, going to Veronica's door and opening it for her. He didn't know what made him do it, but the look on her face was worth it. Seems rich boys don't do things like that. Before he could say anything else both Ofelia and her little brother Julio ran through the house screaming that Eli brought a _girl_.


	8. Chapter 8

By the time he guided her up the steps, not only were his niece and nephew waiting for him in the doorway, but his abuela, Uncle Angel, his cousin Chardo and Felix were standing curiously in the doorway.

"Who's your friend, mijo?" His abuela smiled brightly.

"This is Veronica." Eli introduced, "V, this is my grandma, Letty."

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Navarro." Veronica nodded politely, only making his abuela smile more.

"This is my cousin Chardo, you've met my Uncle Angel," Eli nodded to his cousin and then to the older mechanic. "The rugrats are Ofelia and Julio." She greeted everyone with a polite smile and allowed Eli to take her jacket as everyone filed into the living room.

"How's the LeBaron?" Uncle Angel asked, once everyone sat down and Letty went back into the kitchen where the smell of something delicious was brewing, while Chardo rounded the younger two over towards the TV.

"Headlights work, so that's an improvement." Veronica grinned, then turned to Eli, "Thanks again." She murmured softly.

"How'd you manage to bust both of them like that?" His uncle asked, eyebrow raised. He was giving Eli a pointed look, as if asking if he was the reason someone smashed in her lights. It wasn't a farfetched assumption, the people Eli ran in circles with weren't always the nicest, and the people he pissed off were even worse.

"Some kids thought they'd try their hand at vandalism." She shrugged. "Eli scared them off for me." He never did ask her why Logan had been mad enough to trash her car like that, and made a note to ask her later.

"I'm sure he did." His Uncle Angel chuckled, before getting up from his seat and wandering in to the kitchen to no doubt find a beer. Felix sat on the chair across from Eli and Veronica just staring at them oddly.

"You're face might freeze like that, Felix." Veronica teased, "Then how are you gonna get a date for prom?"

"You never know, V." Eli laughed, "It might help his chances."

"So, V?" Felix finally asked after they stopped laughing at him, "I got a question."

"I've got an answer, lets see if they match." Veronica grinned cheekily, as Eli strained to hear the whispers in the kitchen happening between in his abuela and uncle, but gave up once Felix spoke again.

"How'd you get Hector off?" That was the question on every PCHers mind, and the smirk that grew on her face just made them all the more curious.

"Secrets of the trade, my friend." She grinned stretching back and getting comfortable.

"Come on, you can tell your buddies Felix and Weevil!" Felix pried, getting up and sitting next to her so she was stuck in between the two on the small sofa. "We won't tell anyone."

"Except everyone in the PCH." Veronica laughed, "here's the deal. I'll tell you three things I used and you can try to figure out how I did it." Eli grinned as she continued to tease Felix, who eagerly agreed to the terms of her game. "A bong, a smoke bomb, and a friendly firefighter." At Felix's blank look she laughed, "You ponder that for a while."

It wasn't long before his abuela called them to the table. Veronica surprised everyone by asking for a second helping after devouring the first. "Of course!" his abuela gushed. "You're too skinny as it is, we need to fatten you up." Veronica blushed, but dug into the second helping his Abuela had already started piling onto her plate.

"I've never seen a white chick eat so much." Chardo laughed, biting into his own second helping, only to earn a smack on the back of the head from Eli's abuela and a soft glare from Eli.

"So, you go to school with the boys, yes?" Eli's abuela asked after a moment of awkward silence, "Is that where you met?"

Eli almost laughed at the thought of the first time he had seen Veronica Mars, and it hadn't been at school. He had been twelve and it was take your kid to school day. Eli, not having any parents to take him to work ended up trying to break into some rich guys car. It was officer Mars who picked him up and it was Veronica who brought him a juice box while he waited at the station for his Abuela to come get him.

"With how close Eli and her dad used to be, I'm surprised she's even allowed in this house." Chardo piped up. At the look of confusion that crossed Eli's abuela's face he explained, "She's Sheriff Mars' daughter." The silence was deafening. Letty was staring wide eyed, not sure of what to say, while his uncle was glaring Eli down.

"He's not the Sheriff anymore." Veronica said softly, obviously uncomfortable. Her father's reputation had been dragged through the mud since he had been dismissed from office and became a PI.

"So what's a girl like you doing with Weevil here?" His uncle asked, his tone less friendly than it had been, his gaze still set on Eli with a look that Eli clearly read 'you brought a cop's kid to my shop?'

"A girl like me." Veronica echoed, unsure of what else to say, "He's just been helping me out lately." She finally said after a minute, poking at her food.

"Yeah I'm sure he is." His Uncle said before addressing Eli, "¿No te acuerdas de la última vez que estabas ayudando a una chica blanca?" (Don't you remember the last time you were helping out some white chick?)

""Esto es ..." (This is…) Eli started, but his Uncle didn't listen.

""¿Qué? Diferente? ¿Ella sabe que su padre acusado de asesinar a su última novia, antes de que nadie se molestó en decirle que estaba muerta? Usted secreto de esta chica también?" ("What? Different? Does she know her father accused you of murdering your last girlfriend, before anyone even bothered to tell you she was dead? You this girl's secret too?") He uncle's voice got louder with every word and Veronica looked more and more uncomfortable. "Your dad knows you're here?" His uncle asked her when Eli didn't reply.

Veronica opened her mouth to say something but quickly shut it, after a moment of awkward silence, she looked up at Eli's abuela, "Thank you for welcoming me into your home." She said softly, "I should be going." She didn't wait for a response, but quickly excused herself and headed straight for the door. Eli was about to follow her when she turned back and said, "And my father accused a lot of people for Lily's murder." When the door shut behind her, the Navarro family stayed sitting there in stunned silence.

"Was that necessary, Angel." Eli's abuela murmured, "She seemed like a nice girl."

"A nice girl that should be eating at home with her family, not down in the barrio." His Uncle said.

"Yeah," Eli agreed, "Except now she's going back to an empty apartment, which is why I brought her here." With that he got up and stormed into his room. The house shook as he slammed his door behind him. And he had been worried about her family's reaction to him.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Due to all the love and reviews, I'm giving you this chapter sooner than planned. Thanks for the support guys!**

A week later, Eli's world was thrown into chaos. When the sheriff showed up with a warrant, he figured him and Chardo were in trouble from the other night on the beach. But when he saw Lamb slap cuffs on his Abuela he almost lost it. Credit card fraud, that's what they were trying to get her on. He knew the Echolls kid was to blame as soon as he found out they were in Lynn Echolls name.

Veronica had been keeping a distance. Not like she had before, but ever since dinner at his house things had been tense. So when he had just gotten off the phone with his abuela's lawyer, who's only advice seemed to be that Eli take the fall, and he saw Veronica snooping around his bike like Nancy Drew he grew angry.

"You know I've put people in the hospital for less." He told her, watching her jump when he walked up behind her.

"Just admiring the paint job." She murmured, looking at his bike and then glancing over at Chardo's.

"I know what you're doing." He said gruffly, "And admiring my paint job ain't it."

She had the decency to look guilty, "I'm looking into a few thing's for the lawyer representing your grandma." He knew that the man representing his abuela was the same lawyer that took Hector's robbery charge. He was curious on how she knew the man.

"We've met." He said sharply, "He thinks I should confess."

"Do you think you will." The words hit him like a knife to the chest. She thought he did it.

"I've got nothing to say to you, man." He told her, a look of disbelief on his face and he went to turn into the house.

"You're grandma's in jail, Eli!"

He swung back on her, for the first time ever getting in her face, "I'm sorry are you _reminding me_ because I almost forgot." He spat, ignoring the way her body stiffened.

"I'm just saying, because of your reputation you can't blame McCormack for thinking—"

"Oh my reputation?" They were playing with fire now, and they both knew it, "I guess I should believe all the things they say about you, V? That you like it a little kinky? " She flinched back, and he bit his tongue from hurting her more, "You know, you may think you're some outsider. But you still think like them." He shook his head and they both knew the 'them' he was referring to, "Take off, blondie." He spat, "I don't want you around here, go back to the 09."

He walked inside before she even left his porch, slamming his door catching the attention of Chardo and the young ones. If his abuela didn't come home soon, no doubt social services would be coming by for Ofelia and Julio. Chardo was eighteen, but there was no way a judge would give him custody. It didn't take him long to figure out what he needed to do.

The next day he turned himself in, giving Lamb some story about finding the pre-approved cards in the trash. All he had to do was sign on the dotted lines and he took his grandma's place behind bars. Not that he minded, he would have done it if she had been guilty.

Eli was used to juvie, and settled in quickly with the people he had met his last stay. It wasn't too bad until he was picking trash in orange on the side of the highway. He had heard shouts and insults from the passing 09ers all day, some even threw more trash for him to pick up. When he saw the Kane vehicle slow down, he expected Duncan and his side kick Echolls to roll down the window and throw some insults. But what he saw was worse. Veronica was in the bastard's car. His Veronica. He used the litter stick to stab the rest of the trash, imagining the smug rich boys face. What was she doing with the 09ers? Then his own words came back to haunt him _'Go back to the 09'_. She had listened.

The next two days were torture, all he could think about was Duncan Kane with his V, while he did pushups on the concrete floor of his cell. "Something on your mind, Weevs?" His cell mate, a short black kid name Brian asked. When Eli just grunted in response, Brian laughed, "Ah, your girl giving you problems."

"Ain't my girl." He spat without thinking, the words sounded as if he was admitting defeat.

"Well I can see how that would be a problem." Brian mused, before rolling over to sleep. It was a problem. A problem he intended to fix as soon as he got out of here. However, when he went to sleep with that thought in his head, he didn't expect for his lawyer to show up that morning with release papers saying he had a certain blonde to thank. Maybe she was his girl.

When he was dropped off at his house, his abuela came running out to greet him, he let her fawn over him for a minute and then noticed the girl sitting on the porch. "I hear you are to thank for this Kodak moment?" He smiled up at her, pulling out of his abuela's embrace and heading up the stairs towards her. "Didn't you hear the bad guy was already in jail?"

She smiled back at him, "Yeah, didn't believe it for a minute though."

"Give me some love, V". He grinned, pulling her in to a tight hug, "Thank you, chica." He whispered into her hair, holding her longer than he probably should, but she let him. When his abuela went in to make him something to eat Veronica pulled out of his arms.

"The judge has a warrant out for Chardo." Yes, his backstabbing cousin. The coward who not only let his own grandmother take the fall, but when Eli turned himself in he took his spot as leader of the PCH. That was just unforgivable in the eyes of the club. "They have people looking for him

"Yeah, they ain't the only one." Felix was on the hunt with a few boys, looking around the 09 since from what Eli hears he's been banging Echolls' bitch of a broad.

"Logan's looking for him too." She said pointedly, "You might want to find him first." With that she gave him a peck on the cheek and headed towards her car, and Eli couldn't help but grin as he watched her go.


	10. Chapter 10

There was a new 09er in town, and Eli didn't like him. He didn't know what he didn't like more, the nice guy act he seemed to be pulling, or the fact that his Veronica was falling for it. Hook, line, and sinker.

"Yeah man, when you were locked up I saw her fixing her tire." Felix told him, when he first noticed them talking. "Before I could get to her, prince charming there swooped in." Scratching his head, he thought a minute, "Weird thing is, she ended up hopping in Kane's car and just leaving the kid to fix it for her."

"She give him her keys?" He asked, watching as the 09er sat next to her and Wallace, and she gave him the smile Eli used to like to pretend was only for him.

"Nah man, just left her trunk open." Felix replied, "I watched him until he was done though, just to make sure he wasn't fucking with her car or nothing." Eli nodded at the information.

"What's this fools name?"

"Troy, or something like that." Felix shrugged. Eli ignored the bell, and watched Veronica walk to class with this Troy. When he sees them in the hall again, he makes his way over to them

But what he hears stops him cold, "Lets go out." It was Veronica. And those words were directed at the wrong person as far as he was concerned.

"Finally the girl comes to her senses." Which Eli knows means he's asked her more than once. That means she said no more than once. Veronica smiled, but when Eli caught her gaze the smile slipped off her face and he walked the other way.

The next day at lunch, the Troy kid doesn't sit with her and he wonders if they had their date or not. Maybe his absence meant it hadn't gone well. At least he hoped. He found his way over to her as she leafed through a manila folder, "Whatcha got there, V?"

"My school file," as if it was something that was a casual read.

"Your file, don't you want to read one that's interesting? I can just imagine what you're teachers have to say about you: '_Veronica is a joy in class'" _He teased her.

"Yeah, but I already finished reading yours so…" she smirked, and he wondered if she was joking or not. "What can I do for you, Eli?"

"Hector saw you shoving a ninth grader into the bathroom yesterday." He said a smirk on his face, "Should I be jealous?" She laughed at that, shaking her head.

"I'm helping the kid find his dad." She told him, as if that explained everything. "And why would you be jealous?" She asked, giving him a smirk that nearly mirrored his own.

He thought about his answer for a second, "Who wouldn't be jealous, querido." Before turning to leave. When he here's some 09ers talking about how Troy's taking her out that night left him regretting ever calling her his.

He sees them that night, when he's out with Felix. They're coming out of the pawnshop, when he spots them by her car. She's all dolled up, and Felix stops talking to him when he realizes what he's glaring at. When he sees the fool about to kiss her, he almost heads in their direction but stops when she steps back. She denied him. Felix laughed at the stupid grin that swept over Eli's face.

The next day, he hears the fool tried to kiss her again, but this time the Kane kid was the one to interrupt. Felix and Hector had been smoking by the bleachers, when they saw Veronica and Troy talking and when he pulled her towards him they got up to head that way. However, Duncan Kane decided to try acrobatics, and did a back flip off the bleachers onto the cement next to them. Veronica then rushed off with Duncan, holding a towel to his bleeding head. Last Felix saw her and Duncan drove off alone. Eli hadn't been able to talk to her since then. He had seen her car in the parking lot, but every time she passed him in the hallway she hurried off like she had a mission.

The next night he had drove by her apartment, only to see her parking spot empty. He drove around, hoping he might see her, but as the sun set he gave up and headed home. It was late when he heard a car pull up and park outside his house. Late strangers had never brought him good news in the past, so he quietly got up, and headed for the door grabbing the baseball bat in the hallway as he went. When he peered out the window he was not expecting to see her on his porch standing completely unsure of herself.

He abandoned the bat and opened the door, "V?" He asked, noticing the tears in her eyes, "Hey, it's okay." He said as a sob escaped her, and he pulled her into his arms. She gripped onto his shirt as she cried softly, "What's going on, novio?" He murmured into her hair, trying not to lose himself in the scent of vanilla that seemed to be her. If one of those 09ers so much as…

"I th-thought," she choked on the words, "my mom was g-going to be there." It didn't make sense, but he didn't interrupt, "But it wasn't her. She left." He led her inside, thankful everyone else was already in bed. Last thing he need was his abuela accusing him of making the girl cry. She quieted as he led her back to the room he used to share with Chardo, but now his bed was a place Eli piled random things.

After she stopped crying Eli asked, "Where did you think your mom was?" It was the only thing he could make out of her previous statement.

"Arizona." She muttered, wiping her face. "I got a lead on where she was. I just got there too late." He didn't know she had been looking for her mom, hell he hadn't even known her mom left up until recently.

"This probably ain't what you want to hear," he said, rubbing the back of his head nervously, "but maybe it's better you don't find her."

"Why?" Her voice was so small and desperate, Eli couldn't stop himself from scooping her into his arms and settling on his bed, with her sitting in his lap.

"Because, you might not like what you find." He told her honestly.

"Why did she leave me?" Veronica asked after a moment.

Eli thought about it for a long time before he answered, "People leave because they think they can run away from who they are, except they forget that's really the only thing they're taking with them." Veronica didn't reply, but snuggled her head into his shoulders.

"Thanks, Eli." She murmured sleepily, and he held her like that until she fell asleep. When he was certain she was out, he laid her down and pulled the covers over her, before walking over to Chardo's old bed. He shoved most of his things to one side and climbed in, turning to face Veronica. Even though he was across the room, Eli fell asleep smiling at the thought of Veronica Mars asleep in his bed.


	11. Chapter 11

Eli wasn't really paying attention to whatever Felix was telling him, while they waited for Hector at the park on day after school. It wasn't until Felix hit him hard in the shoulder, that he even looked over at him. "What man?" Eli grumbled, but when Felix didn't answer he followed his gaze to a preppy little blonde dressed in all pink, from the shoes on her feet to the flower in her hair. "What?" He repeated.

"That's, V." It sounded like Felix didn't quite believe it himself, but when Eli cast another look there was no denying. She was sitting on a bench next to some guy Eli had never seen before. It wasn't the Kane kid or the new 09er, Troy, this guy looked like he was done high school for at least the past year. "She looks like…"

"Before." Eli murmured, and it was true. The only thing missing was her long golden hair, but the short curls looked perfect on her. He heard her giggle, and couldn't help but amble in the direction, keeping out of her way but coming within earshot of them.

"So I give you 3000 today?" Eli stilled, what the hell was she doing? "And you'll give me 6000 next week." He knew she wasn't that stupid, she wouldn't fall for a scam that simple. He resisted the urge to storm over and tell the sleaze to scram, but the fake airiness to her voice told him to simply watch. He watched her pull out a checkbook, and heard him give a line about a cash only policy, when she tells the stranger she'll meet him tomorrow with the cash, Eli realizes both Felix and Hector are at his side listening as well.

"Perfect!" Veronica all but gushed, "And Karl I can trust you, right?" Eli's eyebrow shot up, what was his girl playing at?

"Of course, Amber." The sleaze, Karl, smiled, "Hand to god." When Karl walked away Eli watched the 'Amber' persona fall from her face as she watched his retreating back with a predatory smirk. The girl was up to something.

He decided to watch whatever she was doing play out. He and Felix had decided to keep an eye on her from a distance. They had seen her with Wallace and his new friend, whispering in the halls and watched her confront the Karl guy outside a hole in the wall theater about something they weren't close enough to hear. He had made a point to go unnoticed, but when he and Felix saw her get out of her LeBaron in a short black wig and a school girl's uniform about to walk into nerd heaven, he couldn't help himself.

"Goin' for a new look there, V?" He called out to her from the spot he had parked across the street. She whirled around, eyes darting around till she landed on the two of them, her cheeks going bright red. "You know, I'm not much one for those japanese chicks, but I kind of digging it." He grinned, walking up to her, Felix trailing behind eyeing the acne faced dweebs staring at her as they walked into their video game club.

"What are you doing here?" She nearly squeaked, only making Eli grin more.

"Was in the neighborhood." He shrugged, "So what's with the look, Amber." He waggled his eyebrows at her and felt quite satisfied with her shocked expression.

"I'm helping Wallace's new lady friend with something." She said. "She fell for a scam, I'm looking for the scammer." Now it made more sense.

"You taking cases now, V?" Eli asked, only semi joking.

"Hey, you aren't the only guys who need my espionage skills." She grinned wickedly. "But, I've got to go in there so…" she went to turn away, but it was Felix who spoke up.

"You're going in there, dressed like that?" Eli almost laughed, he had only heard that tone from Felix when his little sisters were about to go out with their boyfriends.

"Are you saying I look bad, Felix?" She asked, innocently batting her eyelashes. She was toying with them, and loving every minute of it.

"No, that's the problem." Felix said, "You're about to walk into land, looking like you stepped out of one of their little cartoons they always watch."

"Anime."

"What?"

"They don't call it cartoons, it's Anime."

"Really not my point, V." Felix grumbled, looking her up in down and then just shaking his head, looking at Eli like 'aren't you going to say something?' but Eli just laughed.

"Alright, so now that you've said that," Veronica grinned, "I'll see you all later, k." And she waltzed away, leaving Eli behind to wonder if she was swinging her hips just a little more for him. He couldn't help but think those clothes would look a lot better on his floor.


	12. Chapter 12

Troy had taken her to prom. It was the talk of the school, Veronica Mars sliding back into the 09er scene. Eli was infuriated. He knew that Veronica had deserved to go to prom, and let's face it Eli was not the tux renting type, so she was bound to go with someone else. But it just had to be an 09er. Someone that really showed Eli how out of her league he really was.

When he heard they were dating, he pulled away. Not that he wasn't there for her in when she came up asking for help finding the 09er's car that got stolen right on this side of the border. Meaning no doubt it had passed through his Uncle's shop. His uncle wasn't happy to see him with her, but he kept it to himself this time.

When he learned that it had already came and went, her first question wasn't where did the car go it was, "Did you ask about the piñata?" Apparently it had been in the backseat when the car was jacked. When he told her that she would get her a new one she replied, "Can you get me one filled with steroids?" What had this tool gotten her mixed up in?

It was two days later he saw her in the hall yelling at Troy, he had told Felix about the odd favor he had done for her the other day, and they had been watching the kids every move. And so far they had nothing. "You got busted for drug possession and trafficking!" She snapped, causing Eli to stop in his tracks and stare at the two. They ignored him, or didn't notice him as they continued arguing and Troy stormed away. Before Eli had a chance to come up to her, another 09er, which Eli thought his name was Luke, walked up and handed her an envelope.

"It's all there. Eight grand and a little piece of my soul." Eli hoped to god Veronica had not gotten herself mixed up in the drug business. If there was one thing he hated it was drugs.

"Woe is you." Veronica deadpanned, before taking the envelope and stuffing it into her pocket. When she spotted Eli, she hesitated before approaching. "Hey ."

"What are you doing?" He didn't beat around the bush, and his tone left little room for her to doubt how serious he was in that moment.

"What do you mean?" She asked, and when he looks pointedly down at her hand, which was still in her pocket clutching the envelope. "Oh, Luke got himself in trouble, I'm handling an exchange." She shrugged. That did not ease his worries. In fact that sounded even more incriminating.

"Exchange." The word sounded hollow coming from him, and her eyes widened at the underlying implication.

"Not like that!" She hissed, "He lost his dealers stash, I made him sell some autographed ball and I'm dropping the money off at 'Zig-Zags'" Veronica was explaining, but Eli cut her off.

"The gym?" When she nodded, "Hank Zigman's gym." Eli knew the juiced out ape, and knew what kind of business he was into. "You ain't going there alone."

"Of course not, I'll have backup." It's not until he's heading to his bike with Felix after school he realizes she had meant her dog, not another actual person.

"God damn it." He seethed when he saw her car already gone.

"What's going on, man?" Felix asked, giving him an odd look for his random outburst.

"Fucking, V." He groaned, "She went to meet with Zigman." Felix looked at him like he had two heads, "She's helping a friend or some shit, she went by herself." Felix didn't need to be told anything else, just followed Eli's lead as he hopped on his bike and speed away. However when he finally made it to the gym, Veronica was already on her way out, a smirk on her lips, and Backup at her side.

"Hey, Eli." She greeted when they pulled up behind her.

"You know it's funny," Eli said, after climbing off his bike and shoving his helmet towards Felix, except there is no amusement in his voice, "I could have sworn you weren't gonna come here alone."

"I brought—", Veronica started, but Eli didn't let her finish.

"Backup." Eli finished for her, "I see that." Veronica stared at him for a minute, waiting for him to continue, "Next time I say don't go alone, grab Felix or me, or hell Hector would have gone with you." Veronica was staring at him in confusion.

"It's not that big of a deal, I just had a chat with Hank," she started to brush off when Eli snapped.

"Do you know anything about that guy?" Eli roared, and Veronica flinched back never hearing him yell like this, "He's been accused of murder and rape, but got off on a fucking technicality." Her eyes widened at the statement.

"I didn't know…", Veronica's voice was soft and hesitant. Eli sighed, before pulling her to him and holding her tight. He couldn't stay mad at her, but damn did she make him crazy sometimes.

"I know," he muttered, "You just scared me, chica." He pulled away from her, his mind screaming in protest, but the reminder of Felix behind him brought him back to reality.

"Well, now that you're here...", Veronica gave a sly grin and both Felix and Eli groaned. Now the girl wants a favor. "Down for a road trip?"

She let Eli drive, as she directed him to the Grille and Diner that was nestled near the border. She didn't explain why she needed to go there, or why she was packaging candy in such a suspicious way, but Eli and Felix were along for the ride.

They were halfway there when she pulled out her phone and dialed a number, after waiting for a while she answered in a bright tone that did not match the unhappy expression she wore, "Hi, Shauna! This is Veronica" There was a pause, "No, we haven't met I'm a friend of your boyfriend's…Troy?" Eli's head snapped to her, but she ignored him and he was forced to look back at the road, "He forgot something here back at Neptune and I was wondering if you knew where he was, or where I could send it." She was silent for a minute, and a wicked grin broke out over her face, "Thanks so much, bye."

The silence in the car was deafening, and Felix was the first to find his voice, "Is that why we're here? You want us to kill the little bastard?" Veronica laughed at that before shaking her head, "Then what do you need our help with?"

Veronica gave him a weird look before replying, "I don't need help with anything. Just wanted the company."

"So why are we going to this diner?" Eli asked after a minute.

"To steal Troy's drugs he has stashed in the men's bathroom." Veronica grinned, "We're gonna replace his bag for this bag." She held up the suspicious looking candy bag. Eli laughed at that, and continued on down the road.

It was late when they finally got back. They had watched from a far, as Troy got dropped off by a cab and then went into the diner coming out with a bag all smiles. Eli was curious on when he was actually going to realize the switch Veronica made, as they watched Troy drive away in a fancy car. Eli had driven them back to their bikes, and after Felix drove off she mentioned to Eli her dad was staying overnight at his girlfriends. He didn't know what surprised him more, the fact the former sheriff was dating or the underlying invitation in the statement.

He wasted no time following her car back on his bike. She let him inside, and they sat on her couch and watched T.V. in a comfortable silence. It wasn't until he got up to get a drink, and he knocked her bag off the side of the couch that things got weird. Eli bent down to pick up the things that fell out and Veronica launched herself onto the pile of stuff. He watched her scramble to pick up everything, as if she was trying to keep him from seeing something. And then he saw it. The black and white photo that was slid partially under the couch. His hand reached it first and his blood ran cold when he saw it.

It was of her. Her hair was still long, and she was handing a helmet back to Felix as they stood in front of a doctor's office. Whoever had taken the picture had been across the street, and both Felix and her were none the wiser. To make matters worse was the target drawn around Veronica's face. "What is this?" He asked quietly, not being able to take his eyes off the pictures. When he finally looked up he saw her clutching several other photos in her hand. When he took them from her she didn't argue, just stood there rigid as could be. Each one was of her somewhere else, but he was relieved to find all of them were old, she had long hair in every picture.

"The reason my mom left." Veronica admitted. "At least I think."

"What do you mean, V?" Eli demanded, he was beyond worried. The pictures were an obvious threat on her life, but why? Who would want her dead?

"I'm not sure, but they were in a lock box in my moms name." She shrugged, "I think it might have to do with Lily." The last part whispered.

"Lily!" Eli exclaimed, the mention of his dead ex lovers name "What are you talking about?" Veronica looked at him skeptically before walking away and disappearing into her bedroom. When she came back out she was clutching a white laptop in her hands.

"I've been investigating Lily's death." She admitted, throwing him for a loop.

"Abel Koontz killed Lily, V." Eli said numbly, "He confessed."

"Just because someone confesses doesn't mean they did it." She replied, and he knew she was referring to when he copped to the fraud charges to bail out his grandmother.

"Okay, who do you think did it?" He asked.

"Well the only people who have solid alibi's are you and Logan." She shrugged, "Other than that I got nothing."

"I was one of your suspects?" His voice cold but he couldn't hide all the hurt in his tone.

"I didn't realize your connection to her right away." She said, almost apologetically.

"And what's that?" He asked.

"You love her." All the air was ripped from his lungs, and he didn't miss the slight accusation in her tone. Before he could respond she had the computer open and she was fishing through the papers in her bag before pulling out one piece that had been folded and re folded. When she handed it to him the first thing he noticed was the black and white grainy picture of Lily, laughing and smiling behind the wheel of her car. He brushed his thumb over her face, "Look at the date." He did, and his heart skipped. It was a speeding ticket for Oct 3. The day Lily died.

"So?" He tried to shrug, but his voice gave away the pain of seeing the picture. Seeing that smile again. It had been a long time since he had to think about the girl he once thought he could marry. In a world of 'what ifs' he could have loved her. Veronica tapped her finger to the time stamp. 6:03pm. He looked at Veronica in confusion, he didn't see the relevance. Until it hit him…Lily's time of death was just before 4 that day.

"All of the Kane's alibis are ruined." Veronica told him. "They all lied."


	13. Chapter 13

Eli had just been expelled, and really didn't feel like going home to face his abuela yet. He had promised to graduate, and he broke that promise. He wondered lightly if he had sold Logan out to Daniels for helping him with their flagpole through a car trick, if he would have gotten off lighter. He shrugged it off quickly, if there was one thing for certain, he wasn't a snitch.

Luckily for him, Veronica called him before he had to think too much about going home. "What's up, V?" He said, climbing onto his bike, ready to go wherever she needed him.

"Could I borrow you boys for a little while?" She asked innocently.

"You want me to grab Felix?"

"Yeah…" she said, "I mean like bring everyone."

"You in trouble?" His tone serious, she never asked for that much back up before.

"No," and he could hear her grin, "I just need some guys to scare a shop keeper for me." He laughed at that, and agreed to be there soon after she told him the name of the store. When he neared, he grinned at the sight before him. There she was lounging on the hood of her car in front of the shop, her nose in a book. When she heard Eli's motorcycle she looked up with a grin and that alone made him happier. He parked, the rest of the PCHers in tow. He almost laughed as she raised her fist, but he simply bumped his lightly against it before heading into the store to cause a little havoc.

"A diary?" Felix asked, after they filed out of the shop, the others laughing and joking as the shopkeeper cleaned up the clothes that littered the floor. "You did all this over some diary?"

She grinned mischievously at him, before shrugging slightly. "So, I hear you have a lot more time on your hands now, Eli." She said, climbing into her car. He wasn't surprised she knew, the girl ended up knowing everything it seemed.

"You heard correctly." He nodded, she gave him an accessing look before thanking him for the help and telling him she owed him one. She was gone before he could say anything else.

"Well I don't know about you," Felix huffed, "but I feel a little used."

He didn't hear from her the next day, but he was woken up by his Abuela gushing over the phone. "Oh thank you! Thank you so much!" He pulled the covers over his head, trying to get more sleep when his door swung open, "Mijo, get up!" He bolted upright, looking at his abuela with bleary eyes, "You've got to get ready for school." Eli gave her a look of disbelief, after all the hell she gave him last night you would think she would remember he was expelled. "That was the principal, they're giving you a second chance, mijo."

"What?" He asked, "What are you talking about?" However, she just gave him a pat on the cheek and told him to get ready to go. As he pulled on his jacket, he wondered if Veronica had pulled some strings. It wasn't until he got there that he found out Echolls had came through, pulling his 'my daddy's a celebrity' card. Not that Eli minded this time, he still could see the bright smile on his abuela's face as she waved to him from the porch.

He went his whole day without seeing Veronica. It was past nine when he got the phone call from Felix, "What?" He asked, his brain aching from the English homework he had been staring at.

"Dude, get to V's." His tone hard, and Eli found himself on his feet before demanding why. "I'm outside the Inn, there are cops everywhere, man, and an ambulance. Sheriff Mars shot some rapist, but that's all I know."

Eli didn't answer his family's questions as he raced out of the house, jumping on his bike and peeling off down the street. The word _rapist_ echoing in his head. If someone so much as…He was outside the Inn and beside Felix in seconds. "They won't let me past man, I tried to get someone to tell me what happened, but one of the neighbors told me about the Sheriff shooting the bastard." Felix's voice was steady, but the worry in his eyes was evident.

Eli looked around, it was a circus. There were cops everywhere, and the whole neighborhood seemed to be watching the scene. "Come on," Eli muttered, abandoning their spot and walking around the gates to the side gate, which was much too easy to jump they figured, as they booked it up her stairs and then saw her door was already open. He didn't wait, instead barging into the apartment, where Veronica and her father sat on their couch, a cop asking them questions.

"V!" He exclaimed, "You okay?" Her look of surprise was something he normally would have taken pride in, she's not an easily surprised person, but now he just needed to know.

"Eli?" She asked.

"Sir, how did you get up here?" The cop started to ask, when Felix popped his head in.

"Hey, V!" He grinned at her, noticing that she didn't seem to be injured at all, "You alright?"

"Felix?" Veronica shook her head in confusion, "What are you guys doing here?" Sheriff Mars looked like he wanted to know the exact same thing, that and how his daughter even knew the two.

"We heard your dad shot a fucking rapist," Eli said, "Why do you think I'm here." He still wasn't fully convinced she was okay. She looked shaken, and the word rapist had made her flinch ever so slightly, but he seemed to be the only one to notice. "You okay?" He repeated, this time more firmly.

"Yeah I'm fine," She nodded, "The girl next door was…"She trailed off, but Eli realized what she meant. She hadn't been attacked. After a moment she looked at him with a grin, "You came all this way just to check on me?" Eli didn't know what to say, so he just gave a shrug. Trying to ignore the awkward look he was getting from the Sheriff.

"I didn't know you knew Eli, Veronica." Sheriff said, but Eli heard the underlying question 'Why are you associating with him'.

Veronica gave her dad an odd look, "You were there when we met." She said, letting Eli know he wasn't the only one who remembered sharing jukeboxes at the station.

"Well," Eli interrupted, "just making sure you're okay." She smiled brightly at that, and the Sheriff didn't seem to know how to quite process that information. "I'll see you tomorrow alright?" He turned to leave, but Veronica stopped him.

"Hey, Eli?"

"Yeah, V?"

"Thank you." He wasn't quite sure what she was thanking him for but he gave her a small smile.

"Anytime, V."


	14. Chapter 14

Eli's jaw dropped as she marched up to him and the others at lunch decked in a cheerleading uniform. "You dress up for me today, chica?" He teased, his eyes raking her body taking in her bare midriff and legs.

"You got me, vato." She smirked, "I'm all about the costumes, just no props." The innuendo heavy in her tone as she leaned forward. He grinned at her, and then she dropped the façade, "Actually, somebody stole my clothes while I was in the shower. I found them in the toilet, but lucky for me Meg had this." She gave a little spin, sarcasm in her tone. "So I was gonna go home and change, but then I saw you and I thought maybe I could get a favor."

"In that, you can get whatever you want." He told her, and he was only half joking. She did look amazing in that get-up.

"I need you to give me your gym clothes." He raised an eyebrow, " I don't want to wear this longer than I have to, and if you just give me your gym clothes I don't have to go all the way home."

"Wouldn't Wallace be a better fit?" His clothes would swarm her, not that he didn't like the thought of her in his clothes.

"He needs his, you had gym this morning, he's got gym next period." He didn't comment on the fact that she knew his schedule, instead just chuckled, before getting up and gesturing for her to follow him.

Ten minutes later she emerged from the bathroom, decked in a blue Neptune Phys. Ed. Shirt that had E. Navarro scrawled on it in permanent marker. He laughed as she tugged the strings of the shorts trying to get it tight enough not to slide of her hips. "Here." He chuckled, taking the string from her hands and puling it tight, and tying it.

"Thanks," She blushed, gaining another grin from him.

"No problem." He smirked, the bell ringing, signaling the end of their lunch.

"I'll give them back tomorrow." She said gesturing towards the clothes she was wearing.

"I've got another pair." He shrugged, "Get them back whenever." And they left it at that going their separate ways. He couldn't help but smirk as he heard people whispering about a certain blonde with his name written across her chest.

The next day was a circus. Everybody had done some stupid 'purity test' and confessed all their dirty secrets, and someone had leaked the answers. Girlfriends were against boyfriends, friends against friends, all the 09ers. Eli had laughed at first, until on test found its way into his hand.

"What the fuck is this?" Eli demanded, after Hector handed it to him. It had Veronica's name at the top, but by reading the results he knew there was no way she had filled this out herself.

"Took it from some 09ers." He shrugged, looking uncomfortable, "Did you know about some of the shit in there?"

Eli glared, "You trying to suggest this is true?" He voice was a near growl, and Hector raised his hands in defense, "Tell me Hector, do you see V 'doing the whole swim team hopped up on goofballs', is that what you're saying?"

He shoved the paper at Felix, who had been trying to read it over his shoulder as he stood to glare down at Hector. "I didn't mean anything like that, man." Hector said uneasily.

"Yeah and what did you mean?" Eli challenged and when Hector didn't answer, "Yeah that's what I thought." Before anymore was said, Eli stormed off in search for Veronica. He found her scrubbing the 14 that had been painted on her locker.

"Hey." She greeted warmly, as if nothing was wrong.

"You okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" She asked, and when she saw him looking at the number in anger she smiled, "It's gonna take more than some 'purity test' to break this, girl." He knew that was true, but that didn't mean he couldn't tell her that it didn't affect her.

"Still," He muttered, "Don't make it right." She gave him an odd look, but nodded in agreement.

"Believe me," She grinned wickedly, "Whoever did this has another thing coming." She left him to ponder that, as she walked away.

He didn't have to wonder long, the next day during the morning announcements somehow a video confessional was played, outing two 09er girls as the culprits. Eli grinned, as he watched Veronica get the confession, but it faltered when the other girl said "Duncan's still hung up on you."

He watched Duncan Kane shoot straight up in his chair, mouth drop open as the room broke out in whispers. The whispers only grew when Duncan turned and Eli caught his eye, and if looks could kill Lily would have had her brother for company that second.

At the end of the day, he went looking for her and his heart sank as he watched her chase after Duncan. He tried to walk away but found himself heading their way regardless. "I don't still love you." Did she really just say that to him? "Just so you know."

"Good" Duncan nodded, "'Cuz I'm not still hung up on you, or anything." Eli couldn't help but smile as he chose that moment to make his presence known.

"Hey, V." He grinned down at her, dropping an arm on her shoulder, "You busy?"

She looked at him curiously, "No what do you need?"

"Your company." He shrugged, before leading her away from the confused Kane. He walked her over to his bike and handed her his helmet.

"Where are we going?" She asked curiously. But he only grinned, starting the bike and waiting for her to climb on the back. When she did, he waited for her to wrap her arms around him, and then took off. He drove for a while, past the PCH and up to the Cliffs that looked over Dog Beach.

When he parked, they were at a secluded area that overlooked the waves. No one was around, and the weather was perfect. She climbed off the bike, and pulled the helmet from her head and walked over to the edge. "It's beautiful." She breathed, looking at the ocean.

"Yeah it is." But he was looking at her.


	15. Chapter 15

Eli and Felix had been visiting Felix's cousin Chester at the local prison. It was the last place he had expected to see her, but there her car sat in the visitor parking lot. He didn't think she knew anyone in prison, so he nudged at Felix and nodded towards the green LeBaron.

"What is she up to know?" Felix muttered, both of them sitting on their bikes waiting for any sight of Veronica. When they did see her, it wasn't how they expected. She was pale, and shaking and he watched her struggle to open the door of her car before she got in slamming the door behind her. "You gonna—", but Eli put his hand up to silence him.

She wasn't driving away, she seemed as if she was staring into space. After a minute or two, her face crumbled and she broke into hysterical sobs. Eli and Felix wasted no time making their way to her. He opened her door, and slid into the passenger seat causing her to jump.

"Wh-what a-are you-u guys doing he-here?" She choked on her words, and he just pulled her to him as Felix climbed in the back seat. She didn't stop crying until the front of Eli's shirt was good and soaked.

When she finally quieted, Eli dared to ask, "Why are you here, chica?" She mumbled something into his chest and he stiffened, surely he misheard but by the look on Felix's face he hadn't, "What was that, V?"

"I came to see Abel Koontz." She muttered pulling away from Eli's embrace, "He just said some things that got to me."

"Like what?" Eli demanded, "What did he say?" She was silent for a moment, as if she was deep in thought and suddenly her face turned green. Before he could ask her if she was okay she threw open her door and puked on the asphalt beside her. "V?" Eli rubbed her back softly, "Tell me what's going on, querida."

"Duncan Kane is my brother." His hand stopped moving but she continued, "My mom and Jake Kane…" She started crying again. "She knew I was dating Duncan and she never said anything!" Eli and Felix were at a loss for words. How do you comfort someone who just found out their ex was really their sibling. It also meant not only was her best friend killed, but her sister…

"Let me drive you home," Eli said softly, "I don't want you driving like this."

"What about your bike?" She sniffled, wiping the tears from her face.

"Felix will bring me back to get it later." He reassured her, and Felix nodded in agreement. He didn't wait for her answer, instead just got out and walked to the other side. He stepped over the puddle of puke as she slid into the passenger seat and he took her spot. Felix hopped out after giving Veronica's shoulder a light squeeze, and headed towards his own bike.

"I don't want to go home, I can't face my dad right now." She nearly whispered. Eli nodded, putting the car into drive and heading in the direction of his own house.

His abuela and uncle didn't comment as he led the tear stained girl through his house and into his room. Veronica kicked off her shoes and curled up in his bed almost instantly. He went to sit on Chardo's old bed when her voice stopped him. "Eli?"

"Yeah, V?"

"Will you lay with me.? She patted the bed next to him and he didn't need to be asked twice. He rubbed her back as she curled into his arms, her head lying on his chest. He never wanted to let her go. He wasn't surprised however, when he woke up hours later, alone in his bed as if she had never been there in the first place.

"I need that laptop." It was the first thing out of her mouth when she saw him in school a couple days later. He knew what she was talking about; he had stolen Kane's laptop as collateral from the missing five grand he had won at Echolls' house the previous night. Still the fact she was asking for Kane irked him.

"What laptop?" He smirked, but his amusement didn't last as he saw the stress in her eyes.

"Eli, I'm not kidding around. Just give me the damn laptop." He raised an eyebrow, and didn't say a word as she sighed, "Listen," she explained, "I just…I'll get you your money back just promise me you won't sell it or get rid of it."

"What's so important about this laptop?" Eli asked, and when she wouldn't look him in the eye he pressed, "V?"

"Apparently, there's some stuff on there…stuff about me." She nearly whispered the last part, "I don't know what exactly but Duncan seemed pretty upset at the idea of it going public." And then he realized, if the school found out she might be related to Duncan things would get worse for her.

"You get me my money, I'll give it back." Eli told her, "If you don't get my money, I'll smash it into pieces." She grinned at the promise, "Don't worry, I'm looking out for you."

"You always do," She grinned at him softly, "Thanks, Eli." And she was gone.

True to her word, she found the culprit. However, she did put on quite the production to reveal that rich boy Sean wasn't so rich after all. After the truth came out, and Eli was able to get a little vengeance in the shape of two black eyes on Sean's face, he found himself playing poker yet again, but this time Veronica was cleaning them all out.

"You must be unlucky in love," Conner, Logan's famous actor friend, muttered throwing down his hand in defeat. Veronica laughed, scooping the chips her way.

After a few hands, they made their way into the main house, where Logan's parents were throwing their annual Christmas Party, which he had helped his grandmother clean up after plenty of them but had never attended. He took advantage of the buffet, joking with Veronica about how out of place they both looked.

"Hey, V?" He chuckled, "Where's Weevil?" As he spread his arms, in front of a group of well dressed 09ers who were glaring at him with distaste. He didn't care about that though, all he cared about was that bright smile aimed at him.

Suddenly the bright smile vanished and she handed her plate to Eli, "I'll be right back." He didn't get a word in before she darted away, and when he noticed she was following Jake Kane he groaned.

"You're killing me, V." He waited, awkwardly standing amongst the finely dressed 09ers in his old leather jacket, feeling less comfortable now that Veronica wasn't by his side.

"What did you do?" The question came from Jake Kane, as he came barreling from the room Veronica had chased him into, and was addressed to his wife. "What did you do!" This time louder and more demanding, as he grabbed his wife's arm.

"Jake I don't"

"What did you do, Celeste!" When she didn't answer he pulled her towards the door, "We're leaving." Eli made his way over to Veronica who was looking in near shock at the scene unfolding.

"What was that about?" He asked, handing her back her plate which she took.

"I found out who had those pictures of me taken." She told him, and he nearly choked on his food, "I thought it had been Jake, but Celeste makes way more sense."

He would have asked more questions, but before he could a waitress started yelling at Logan's dad not five feet away. Before anything could be done, the woman took an ice pick and lodged it into Aaron Echolls side. Screams and cries sounded everywhere, while the sound of carolers were heard from outside. Veronica gasped, and Eli abandoned his plate of food to pull her close to him as they watched the blood pour from Aaron's side and Sheriff Mars ran in tackling the woman to the ground. It certainly was a Christmas nobody was going to forget.


	16. Chapter 16

Veronica had been a busy girl, lately. Eli heard that for fifty bucks she was digging up dirt on anybody's parents. And knowing Veronica, it was well worth the fifty dollars. So that's how he found himself pacing outside her door. He hadn't even told Felix what he was doing, just showed up before she had even pulled in her space. When she arrived, she smiled at him curiously, "What's up, Eli?"

Eli hesitated, "Can I talk to you about something?" He was nervous, he didn't know if he really wanted what he was about to ask.

"Yeah," She nodded, opening her door and letting him inside, "What can I do for you?"

"I hear you're looking up people's parents." It was best to just get it out in the open, at her nod he continued, "I was wondering if I could pay you to get information on somebody."

"Who?" She questioned, tilting her head to the side.

"His name's Antonio Jimenez." A name that was forbidden in his home since before he could remember.

"Okay, do you just want a general background check or—"

"I want to know who he is without meeting him." Eli said bluntly, "Can you help me with that?"

"Of course." She smiled softly at him. "Is there anything besides the guy's name you can give me to go on? A birthday? Wife? Anything?"

Eli thought for a minute, "I know he was in the hospital in Neptune on December 19th 1992." At her quirked eyebrow he continued, "It was my fourth birthday." He admitted.

"Who is he?" She asked, but by her tone he had a feeling she had an idea.

"My dad." He shrugged, "My grandmother won't tell me anything. My mom's gone. Nobody else remembers him." He sunk down on the couch and was silent for a moment before speaking, "When I younger, I used to be a lot angrier." She nodded as if agreeing with him, and he wondered if he remembered the destructive elementary schooler he had been. "One day, I was probably 10 and me and Chardo got into it, and I started wailing on him. Chardo was a lot bigger than me, but I went into a rage." He didn't remember most of the fight, just the aftermath, "My abuela started screaming, and Chardo was bleeding bad, and barely conscious but I couldn't stop. Then my abuela went to pull me off and I almost hit her." Veronica's eyes went wide, "That was the first time she looked at me like…" Eli trailed off, remembering the look that now he got more than ever.

"Like what?" Veronica asked, placing her hand on his, and squeezing it gently.

"Like she's waiting for me to turn into a monster." Eli confessed, staring at the striking contrast of her pale hand in his tan one "I remind her of my dad, I know I do. I know he was a piece of shit, hell my mom never married him or anything. The only memory I have is him getting loaded into the back of an ambulance after my Uncle Angel beat him half to death."

"Are you sure you want to find out more about him?" Veronica asked softly, "I just had to break some pretty devastating news to one girl."

"Yeah, just tell me how much." Eli said firmly.

"Like I'd actually charge you." She huffed playfully, "It's like you don't know me at all." He smiled at that.

"Thanks, V."

"Anytime, E." She smirked, echoing the familiar words back at him. She still hadn't let go of his hand.

Two days had passed since he showed up at her apartment, when she called him late in the afternoon. "Yeah?" He answered, ignoring the stares from Hector and Felix as he interrupted the card game they were in the middle of.

"Hey, Eli…"she trailed on.

"What do you need, V?" Automatically assuming she needed a favor. There was a pause on the line, "V?" he repeated.

"I can just call you back later," she said, "I didn't mean to bother you." He frowned at that, since when did Veronica care about bothering him.

"Veronica, don't make me ask you again." He sighed, causing Felix to raise an eyebrow. She was quiet again so he started again, "What do you need, V?"

"I don't _need_ anything." Veronica snapped, causing Eli to straighten unsure of the reaction he got.

"Then why are you calling?" He said slowly. Felix gave a short bark of laughter, before muttering something about stupidity under his breath. The silence on the other end was deafening, "V?"

"So I guess I only call you when I need something." He tone ice.

"I didn't mean it like—"

"No, I get it." She said shortly, "I was actually calling because I finished that favor you asked me to do, and wanted to see if you wanted to come over."

"Oh, I—"

"It's okay, you're obviously busy," She interrupted again, "I should have just waited until I saw you at school." And then the phone went dead. Well fuck. Now Eli wasn't the type of guy who went off to apologize, but remembering the last time Veronica got mad at him they didn't speak for eight months, he found himself heading out the door regardless.

It didn't take him long to get there, but he paced outside for a long time before he had the courage to actually knock on her door. Veronica swung the door open and frowned, "What do you _need,_ Weevil." Ouch.

"Listen, V. I'm sorry for being a dick on the phone." He muttered, "I just…wasn't thinking."

She blinked at him, then looked behind him as if looking for someone else, "Am I being Punk'd?" She asked after a second.

"What?"

"Did you seriously just drive all the way here to apologize to me?" She said, as if she was repeating herself.

"Um, yeah…"Eli hesitated.

"Huh." She said, her stare making him quite uncomfortable, "Aren't you full of surprises." She opened the door wider before turning around and heading further inside, "You might as well come in, since you're already here." He did as he was told, following her inside and sitting next to her on the couch. "So I found out about Antoinio Jimenez." She said slowly.

"Yeah?" He questioned, as she nodded he continued, "And?"

"And…" she started, picking up a folder, "I can tell you right now without you ever opening this" she looked him straight in his eyes, "that you will never be that man."

"How do you know that?" Eli said looking away.

A soft hand touched his cheek, bring him back to face her, "Because Eli, I know you, and you're one of the best guys I know." At his scoff of disbelief she continued, "All you have ever done is protect me," she told him, "now it's my turn to protect you."

"What do you think I need protecting from?" Eli asked, as her grip on the folder tightened he sighed, "He's so bad even you don't want me to know the truth?" He rubbed his head, "Of course he is."

"You wanted to know if you were capable of becoming him," Veronica said, her voice more firm, "I'm telling you the truth, you're not. There's no way." She handed him the folder, "But whether you read the file is up to you." It felt heavy in his hands and he stared at the folder without opening it. "You know I did a paternity test on my father, without him knowing." The comment was so random, he almost forgot about the decision at hand. "I got the results and I stared at that envelope for hours."

"What did it say?" He was surprised she hadn't told him sooner, remembering back to when Felix and he had found her in the prison parking lot.

"I don't know, I shredded the envelope without opening it."

"Why?" He asked.

"I realized I already knew the truth." She shrugged. He smiled at her softly, before handing her back the folder. They didn't talk about Antonio Jimenez again.


	17. Chapter 17

Veronica got arrested, it was something everyone was talking about. Eli heard it as soon as he stepped into second period, apparently Lamb had just walked her out in cuffs, "For what?" Eli demanded when Hector told him he had seen it go down.

"Fake IDs, tons of 'em fell out her locker." Hector told him, "I mean I have no doubt she could make a fake, but…" Hector fished something out of his pocket and dropped it on the desk in front of him. "I think she'd make better ones." Eli took the ID in hand, it was obviously fake, hell the lamination wasn't even smooth.

"You think someone set her up?" Eli asked.

"By the look on her face this morning," Hector stated, "I'd bet my bike on it." Well now it was Eli's turn to be the detective.

Instead of going to his grief session; something his counselor had set up to talk about Lily, who he found himself thinking about less and less, he grabbed some of the boys and went digging into the source of the shitty fake IDs. By looking at it, he knew it didn't come from where he got his. Felix didn't recognize the work either. They ended up finding out about the kid in the coma who had used one, resulting in some kid name Rick pointing the finger at Veronica.

The kid wasn't much help, he tried to point the finger at some rich pansy ass club called the Tritons, but after shaking down a kid in an MIT sweatshirt he soon realized they weren't behind it either. Which brought him back to square one. "It's that kid." He muttered.

"What?" Felix asked, as they were about to part ways for the night.

"Nothing man I got someone to talk to, I'll see you tomorrow."

It was late, and Felix had just gotten home when his phone rang. He stared at the number for a minute, slightly confused. Why would she be calling him at all? Usually anything from her was second hand news via Eli. "V?"

"Hey Felix," He heard the blonde chirp, "What are you doing?" He glanced at the clock, and sure enough it was well past midnight.

"About to go to bed," Felix said slowly, "Why?"

"Oh you, know…" Veronica sighed, "Felix I need a favor…"

"Weevil ain't picking up his phone?" He had just left Eli not 10 minutes ago, and he knew his phone hadn't gone off.

"I actually didn't call him." She replied, "I was hoping this could be a favor that just stays between the two of us…" Felix bit back the urge to groan, no way could this go over well.

"What kind of favor?" He asked.

"You see…I'm waiting for you to promise you're not going to tell Eli…" Felix debated, if he said no and she refused to tell him and she was in serious trouble Eli would have his head. If he said yes and didn't tell Eli and it was something serious, Eli might have more than his head.

"Yeah, V. I promise." He lied, if she was in danger he'd have to tell him.

"I need you to go to the school parking lot and see if my car is still there." She said, "I need you to go and get the trunk open. If you can't find the keys just…open it anyway?" Did she just give him permission to try to break into her car?

"Where are you?" He asked, picking his keys back up off the coffee table and heading for the door, at her hesitation he pressed, "V?"

"Promise not to get mad?" She asked softly, and it stopped him in midstride.

"Veronica, tell me where you are." His voice firm, and worry in his gut.

"I'm in my trunk."

Felix got there as fast as he could, finally breathing a sigh of relief when he saw the familiar green car. The keys were already in the trunk and he wasted no time unlocking it and throwing it open. She was uninjured, but the site of her locked in the small space left a bad taste in his mouth, almost like gasoline, and he nearly burned with rage but he shook away the thought.

"Who put you in there?" Felix demanded, after picking her up and pulling her out of the trunk.

"Oh don't worry about it," she tried to brush off going to turn away but Felix stopped her.

"I'm going to fucking worry about it, you were just locked in your trunk!" He nearly yelled, "Now tell me who did it, or I can call Weevil and you can tell him."

"You wouldn't dare." Veronica said, not sounding completely sure of herself, but at his expression she relented. "The Tritons," She told him, "I've been trying to find out who framed me."

"Well it wasn't those fucking pansies." Felix spat, and he debated on how to handle the situation. Those fuckers should have known better than to mess with her after Eli and him had talked to them, and then he realized something. "How long have you been in there?"

"I don't know a couple hours," She shrugged, "Wallace didn't answer the phone." Felix shook his head letting out a string of curses. "It's not that big of a deal."

"Oh it's a big deal." Felix let out a hollow laugh, "Not even an hour ago they told Weevil they hadn't so much as looked in your direction."

"Wait what?" Veronica asked, looking confused.

"Weevil's been hunting down the guy who framed you." He muttered, there was no way he could keep this a secret.

"Why would Eli—"

"V, I know you're blonde and all, but really?" Felix cut her off with an incredulous look. That shut her up, "It'd be better if he found out through you." She looked at him and they had the longest stare down in Neptune history.

"Fine!" She snapped, pulling her phone out and hitting the second speed dial on her phone, first of course being her dad. Felix watched her bite her lip as she anxiously awaited the answer, "Hey Eli," She said perkily and Felix rolled his eyes. "I'm actually at the school here with Felix…funny story actually, somebody thought it be a good prank to lock me in the trunk of my car…" Veronica frowned and after a moment of her being silent, "Eli? You still there?" She winced at whatever she heard on the other end, and Felix could only imagine the deadly grumble coming from the PCH leader. "I didn't want you to worry, and Felix came as soon as I called." There was a long silence on her end, and then she hung up.

"Well?" Felix asked.

"He's on his way." She told him, "See this is exactly why I didn't want to call him, now he's going to go try and beat somebody for no reason." Felix wanted to shake her for the stupid things that were coming out of her mouth.

Instead he grabbed the keys that were still in her trunk and put them in his pocket, slamming the trunk closed, "Well get comfy." And leaned against the car waiting for Eli to arrive.

It didn't take long at all, the roar of the speeding motorcycle announcing his arrival. He cut the engine, after pulling up beside them, and tore off his helmet. His set in an angry scowl as he climbed off the bike and walked straight for Felix, "What happened?" This was a test, Felix heard it in the tone of his voice. There was no other option but that to tell him everything he knew right then and there.

"She called me and asked me to go unlock her trunk, I asked her where she was and after having me promise not to tell you she admitted she was in the trunk. Fucking Tritons locked her in hours ago," Felix started to ramble, "and she didn't want me to tell you because she thinks you'd go beat them up for 'no reason', so I got her out and had her call you." Eli looked at him for a minute before giving him a curt nod.

"Thanks man," He muttered, "Go ahead and take off." Felix didn't need to be told twice, ignoring the blonde's vicious glare and handing Eli her keys before fleeing the scene. The last thing he heard before starting his bike, "I think we need to get some things straight." About damn time, Felix thought, tearing off down the street.

Veronica and Eli stared at each other for a while in silence before she finally spoke, "Straighten what out?"

"Why didn't you call me as soon as you got locked in there?" He asked, his tone softer than it had been.

She shrugged biting her lip, "It took me a while to get untied…" The rage in his eyes intensified, "And then I called Wallace but he didn't answer."

"Why didn't you call me?" He repeated.

"I didn't want you to make a big deal out of nothing," She said.

Eli clenched his jaw, rubbed a hand over his head before speaking again, trying to keep his voice from shaking with rage. "In what world is you getting _**tied up**_and **locked** in your trunk nothing?" When she couldn't answer he continued, "As for me making a 'big deal' about it," he gave a dark chuckle, "I just talked to those fuckers and your ex, Duncan, just swore he hadn't seen you all day. Now I find out he had already stuffed you in your fucking trunk!" His voice got louder.

"They were just trying to scare me." She shrugged and Eli resisted the urge to shake her. "This is exactly why I didn't want you to find out. It'll be just like when Dick slashed my tires—"

"He waved a fucking knife at you!" He snapped.

"And you threatened him with one!" She yelled back. Eli blinked at her, he had been suspended for fighting for that but Dick never ratted him out about the knife.

"How do you know that?"

"Because Eli," She hissed, "They took it out on me, as soon as you weren't in school."

"What?"

"When you took out Enbom's teeth, when you threatened Dick. It's why I stopped talking to you!" She revealed, "That way you'd stop trying to stand up for me and then leave me defenseless for days."

"V…" He started.

"I don't want you to hurt them Eli, please." She nearly begged, "I can't deal with this place alone." Eli pulled her into his arms and she breathed in the comforting smell of leather and old spice.

"What if, I personally, don't touch them?" Eli asked after a while, getting a muffled laugh from Veronica. She lifted her head, and looked him in the eyes.

"You going to set your minions on them?" She asked skeptically, and at his shrug she sighed, "Just don't get suspended Eli, please?"

"Promise." He told her, loving the feel of her in his arms as she rested her head back on his shoulder. "Oh, Rick will be turning himself in tomorrow." He murmured into her hair after a minute, causing her to pull away much to his dislike.

"What?"

"That Rick kid, he's the one making the IDs." Eli explained, "After a little talk he saw the errors of his ways." The smirk on Eli's face made Veronica laugh.

"Thanks Eli." She smiled, "You always have my back, don't you?" Eli wasn't sure if it was a rhetorical question or not, but he chose to answer.

"Anytime, V." Eli reassured, "I don't just say it to be nice." She nodded at that, thinking to herself. "Why don't you head, home? You've got school tomorrow." He teased.

"So does this make us even from when I got you out of Juvie?" She asked taking her keys from him and heading over to the driver's door.

Eli gave her an incredulous look, "I don't know, V. I never kept score." She stared at him with an unreadable expression, before nodding and climbing into her car. He backed away, letting her pull out of the parking space and drive away. Eli stood there for a long minute, before walking back over to his bike. That girl was going to drive him crazy.


	18. Chapter 18

Eli was not a happy biker. Oh no. Not only did he find out that Veronica's favorite teacher liked his women of the high school variety, but Veronica was helping defend him. Now, Eli knew Mr. Rooks, and no doubt was the teacher a cool guy, but he could see how the rumors would be true. He had him last year, and the man was young enough for all the girl students to fall head over heels, and Eli had caught Mr. Rooks basking in the attention. Not that it makes him a pedophile, just sleazy in Eli's opinion. And he didn't want Veronica anywhere near that.

"I don't like this." He told her, as she told him she had stopped by the teacher's house earlier.

"He's not guilty, Eli." Veronica swore, "If someone accused you of something like this I'd be doing the same thing."

"I'm 17, I can fuck all the high schoolers I want." Eli shrugged, earning a glare from Veronica.

"That's not what I meant." She nearly spat, and Eli couldn't help but wonder if she was madder about Mr. Rooks or the thought that he could fuck anyone he wanted. He almost grinned at the thought of her jealous.

"Just be careful, V." He told her softly, "Some guys are actually guilty."

"Not Mr. Rooks." She said adamantly, "He never touched Carrie Bishop."

Eli shrugged, "I never said he did. Just want you to be careful." Her scowl lessened, and then slowly changed into a soft smile.

"Alright, Eli." She nodded, and then she changed the topic as they walked towards her class. She never brought up that he always happened to be in the hallway whenever she was going to a different class, even though most of his classes were on the other side of the building. No matter what he's always there waiting for her after her class, but in a nonchalant way, like he was on his way somewhere else and just happened on by.

So when they get to her next class he's kind of surprised to see Echolls waiting for her. "You want me to stick around?" He murmured to her before they approached.

"No, I'm good." She reassured him, squeezing his hand lightly and then heading off towards the guy who had smashed in her head lights only a couple months ago. He forced himself to head towards his own class, instead of lurking around the corner to be nosy.

"What V do now?" Felix asked when he walked into shop.

"What do you mean?" He grumbled before getting to work on the engine they had been building together.

"That scowl on your face, it's the V did or is about to do something stupid scowl." He pointed out. At Eli's glare, Felix grinned, "Should I switch the something to someone?"

"Not only is she's helping out Rooks with this hot for teacher bullshit, but now she's being all social with Echolls." He snapped, not looking at Felix. However, at the lack of response from his usual chatty friend he was forced to look up. Felix had an angry expression on his face, "What man?"

"What do you mean V's helping Rooks?" His tone was more serious than Eli had ever heard him.

"She swears he's not guilty, she was over at his place—" Eli started to explain.

"She was at his apartment?" Felix nearly growled, and before Eli could fully nod Felix was out of his chair and heading for the door. Eli followed him, calling his name but he was ignored. He realized soon he was heading straight for Rooks class room.

"Dude, what the fuck are you doing?" Eli hissed, but it was too late Felix slipped into the classroom.

"Mr. Toombs, what can I do for you?" Eli stood outside the door, unsure of what to do and also confused on how Rooks knew Felix's name, he never had his class. He watched Felix approach the young teacher, who was sitting at his desk while his students watched the scene unfold.

"You remember the last time I talked to you?" Felix's voice was soft, but Eli heard the threat, "Right after Susan moved. You remember Susan don't you?" he teacher grew pale, and shifted in his seat. Eli wanted to know what the fuck Felix was talking about, but stood still in his spot. Eli didn't hear whatever Felix whispered to the teacher, but at the quick nod and the smile that broke out over Felix's face, Eli safely assumed he had gotten what he had came for.

Felix wouldn't tell him who Susan was or what he had said to the teacher, but Mr. Rooks packed up his stuff and was gone by the next period. "What did you do, Eli!" Veronica exclaimed, storming over to where he stood by his bike, "Mr. Rooks won't even return my calls. Everyone's talking about the PCHer who stormed into his room." Eli opened his mouth to defend himself, "You don't even know he's guilty, how could you do that to him!"

"Weevil didn't." Felix came up from behind him, taking on the fury of the tiny blonde, but with the look on his face he figured Felix just might win this one too. "I did. And the fact that you're standing here bitching about how he's innocent makes me even happier I did it."

"Why would you—"

"Because he's a pedophile." Felix snapped, "And the fact that you've been to his apartment and you have his cell phone number and that's not even a little strange makes me think you really aren't as smart as I thought you were." Eli stepped in before Felix said something to hurtful.

"Ease up man," Eli said, but Veronica of course had more to say.

"He never touched Carrie Bishop!" She spat, "You have no reason to be acting like this." Eli knew why he was acting like this though, by the tone of his voice down to his stance. Felix had entered big brother mode.

Felix looked at her for a long minute, before starting to talk, "Susan Knight dropped out because that fucker knocked her up." When Veronica's jaw dropped Felix continued, "Reason enough?"

Felix left shortly after dropping the news about Susan Knight. Veronica was deep in thought, and Eli desperately wanted to pull her back into reality, "So you and Echolls, huh?"

"Me and Echolls what?" Veronica asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Seemed friendly." He shrugged.

"Because he needs something." She laughed almost bitterly, and he tried not to smile at the sound. "He thinks his mom's still alive, he hired me to find her."

That caught Eli off guard, it was on every newspaper and magazine Lynn Echols jumped off a bridge because of her cheating husband. "Why does he think that?" He asked.

"Hope," she shrugged, "Denial? Take your pick."

"Well he better be paying you, after all the shit he's pulled…" He nearly grumbled, making Veronica laugh again.

"Don't worry, you're the only one who gets my services free of charge." She teased, before shaking her head, "He's paying. And the quicker I can prove she's dead, the quicker I never have to talk to him again."

It was that statement that motivated Eli into his own investigation, which led to one loud mouth kid who claimed to have proof. He was happy as ever to hand it over to Veronica and stand by to witness the closing of the case. However any victory he tasted turned to ash in his mouth as he saw the video clip of Lynn Echolls hitting the water. He had no problem threatening the kid into making the tape disappear, and he didn't complain as Veronica ran after Echolls. However the phrase one step forward two steps back came to mind.


	19. Chapter 19

Eli hadn't really seen Veronica around since finding the clip of Logan's mom for her. She seemed to be on the job at all time, or off with Echolls, which he tried not to think too much about. He went on with his routine of school and delinquency. When Veronica did show her head it was late and she was waiting on his porch when he rode up on his motorcycle. "What are you doing here, chica?" He called to her as he pulled off his helmet, when she shrugged he frowned, "You okay?"

"I almost got a man killed today." She said bluntly, "Almost served him up to the mob on a silver platter." Eli was at a loss of words, climbing off his bike and heading towards her.

"What are you talking about?" He asked softly, taking the seat next to her and throwing an arm over her shoulder.

Sighing, she rest her head on his shoulder and went into detail about the past couple days. Apparently a woman hired her to find a guy for her. Veronica of course found him, and just as she was about to hand over the information she finds out that the man was in the witness protection program and the woman was from the mob and using Veronica to find him. "Damn, V." Eli whistled, "That's some serious shit."

"I was just doing my job. I wasn't even thinking about it." She said, disbelief in her tone, "I was just thinking about the money." She sounded disappointed at the thought. "On top of that, I let Logan live out this my mom's alive fantasy for way longer than I should have and I promised Meg I'd find her secret admirer." She yawned, snuggling closer to him.

"Why don't you take a break from all these cases you keep taking, do teenager stuff." He suggested softly.

"Like what?" she chuckled, "Hang out with girlfriends and gossip? Go shopping? Go to the Eclipse dance?" Her tone turned bitter at the latter.

"Why don't you?" He asked and she looked up at him with disbelief.

"Because the girl's in Neptune are just standing in line to be my friends." She said sarcastically, "I don't see me and Madison Sinclair shopping and gossiping over Froyo anytime soon."

Instead of asking what froyo meant he stuck to his original line of thought, "I meant the dance V. Why ain't you going to the dance?"

"Because why would I want to go to the dance alone." She said plainly.

He nodded at that, and they sat in silence for several minutes, "Good thing you're not going alone." He told her and she sat up to look at him.

"And who am I going with?" She asked skeptically.

"Me." He told her simply, not looking her in the eye right away but when he did he noticed the bright smile on her face.

"You want to go to the dance with me?" She asked almost shyly, and at his uncomfortable shrug she smiled even wider. "Really?"

"Why not?" He asked.

"You never go to school dances." She stated.

"How do you know that?" He asked, even though he knew it was true. No girlfriend had ever talked him in to doing something like that, but here he was offering to go with a girl he'd never kissed.

"I've never seen you at one." She pressed.

"Listen, it was just a suggestion." He said, starting to doubt his decision, "If you don't want-"

"I want to!" She exclaimed, cutting him off causing him to smirk and her to blush. The silence that fell over them was more comfortable than awkward, as they sat on his porch.

"So who do you think Meg's admirer is?"

"It's Duncan." She said it in such an uncaring tone he almost didn't believe he heard her correctly.

"Kane?"

"Yeah, it actually makes a lot of sense." She said.

"How so?"

"Duncan is Mr. Perfect." She started, except it didn't sound like a compliment, "He's got good grades, his future is set in stone, and I'm pretty sure whoever he loses his virginity to will be who he marries. Meg's the female version of that" The last statement caught him off guard and he remembered what Lily had told him about Duncan and Veronica's vow of abstinence until marriage.

"You don't think you'll wait til marriage?" He teased lightly.

"Maybe if that ship hadn't already sailed." She said bluntly. That night Veronica unknowingly confirmed one thing to Eli, at least two rumors about her were true: she was no virgin and she slept with someone who wasn't Duncan. He had enough tact not to ask, but he wondered if maybe it had been Troy.

"You don't mind Duncan and Meg getting together?" He asked her after a minute, and he could have kicked himself. Why was he asking questions he didn't want to know the answer to?

"I've been over Duncan for a long time, Eli." She smiled softly at him, "My tastes have changed a lot since then." He hoped that meant no more 09ers, he needed at least one guy he could compete with; and money, he just couldn't compete with that. "Actually there's this one guy in particular."

He bit back a groan as he played the role of best friend, "Yeah, anyone I know."

"Yeah," She grinned, "You know him pretty well." If she said Felix, Eli would lose it. "He's really great too, he's always helping out and I think he might like me too." Why was she even telling him this, did he not just ask her to the dance?

"Yeah?" He asked, trying to keep the bitter tone out of his voice, "Well, chica, why don't you go to the dance with him. If you all like each other, maybe he'll ask you."

"He already did." She told him, and he snapped his head to look at him, his mouth open to demand what and who she was referring to when her lips met his. At first he wasn't sure if this was real or a dream that he tended to have more frequently than he would like to admit. However, when their make-out session ended before he got to second base, he realized that it was real. He groaned as she pulled away, and she laughed softly.

"I've got to get home, before my dad sends out the search and rescue." She explained, as she stood from their seat, only to have Eli pull her back into his lap and kiss her again, "Eli…" she gave a little whispered groan against his lips that drove him wild. When he finally let her go she smiled at him before heading towards the steps, "So tomorrow night…" She said hesitantly, turning back as if to see if he was serious about the dance.

He smiled genuinely at her, "I'll pick you up at 8, V."


	20. Chapter 20

(A/N: I know that the Eclipse dance was supposed to be 80s themed, but in this it's just a regular dance.)

This was not something he was prepared for, he decided pulling on the sleeves of his button up shirt. He glanced longingly at the wife beater and jeans that were on his bed, "Don't even think about it, mijo." His abuela interrupted his thoughts, "You look very handsome." She assured him.

"I feel like I'm going to church." He muttered.

"Well if you had more than one nice outfit, you wouldn't feel that way." She told him tightening his tie, which he loosened as soon as she turned her back. "Angel is dropping off the car for you."

"He knows I'm taking out V right?" He asked, not wanting to arrive at the former sheriff's apartment in a car made of completely stolen parts.

"Si, that's why he's bringing Abuelo's car." She told him softly, and Eli's jaw nearly dropped. His abuela had given Angel his grandfather's (angel's father's) car when Abuelo passed. Ever since then it was off limits and sat in its own garage at the shop.

"The 'vette?" He said in disbelief, and at her nod and the rumble he heard from the street he knew it was true. His uncle walked in shortly after and held out the keys for Eli to take, only to pull them out of his reach at the last moment.

"If you bring it back with one scratch…" Angel started.

"I'll kill myself before you can get to me." Eli swore, holding his hand out and Angel let the keys drop into his hand.

"I'm trusting you, sobrino." His uncle told him, "Don't make me regret this."

"You won't." Eli promised, before looking at the clock. "I can't believe I'm doing this." He muttered more to himself, but his uncle laughed regardless.

"You and me both," his uncle laughed, rubbing Eli's bald head, "Who would have thought, little Eli getting ready for his first school dance." The harder his uncle laughed the more Eli scowled. "I'm just teasing you, sobrino."

"Leave him alone, mijo." His abuela scolded Angel softly, "He's nervous enough as it is."

"Yeah, big bad Weevil, nervous to take out a tiny little blonde girl." Angel laughed again, "What's her daddy gonna say when you come knocking on her door." Eli almost paled at the thought. Did Sheriff Mar even know he was taking his daughter to the dance? He shrugged off his Uncle's teasing and grabbed his jacket and slid it on over his dress shirt. "Well you can take the guy off the bike, but not the biker out of the guy, ey?" Eli looked down, wondering if his uncle meant that as a bad thing, but shrugged it off and headed to the door.

"Wait, Eli!" His abuela called after him and handed him a small clear box with a flower wrist band inside, when he looked at her in confusion, "It's a corsage, you give it to her." He nodded, still unsure if Veronica would want something like that, but he brought it along nonetheless.

He arrived at Veronica's with five minutes to spare, which he spent anxiously pacing the hall in front of her door before working up the courage to knock. Finally, he knocked three times and heard Backup bark once on the other side.

When Sheriff Mars opened the door he didn't look surprised, however he also didn't look very pleased, "Hello, Eli." He greeted, with no warmth or welcome in his tone.

"Hey Sheriff." He nodded nervously, "I'm here to, uh, pick up V…I mean Veronica." He stumbled over his words, and he saw the Sheriff crack what could be considered a smile but it was gone too quick for Eli to be sure of.

"Well, come on in. It'll be a little while before she's ready." Sheriff Mars said, moving to the side to let him through the door.

"I would be ready on time" Veronica's voice echoed from another room, "If the super would fix the hot water which he promised to do three months ago!"

Sheriff Mars chuckled at that, and motioned for Eli to take a seat on the couch while he took a seat in the chair across from him. With the coffee table in-between them, and the look he was getting from the Sheriff, he was reminded of all the times they sat like this in the interrogation room down at the station. "So I didn't hear your bike pull up."

"I drove," Eli responded quickly, "Didn't think V's dress would hold up on a bike."

"Where did you get a car?" It was a loaded question if Eli had ever heard one, but Eli chose to ignore the implications.

"It was my grandfather's." He told him, getting a satisfied nod from Sheriff Mars.

"I hear you've been looking out for Veronica." It wasn't a question, and Eli didn't know how to respond so he didn't. "I know my daughter, and sometimes she can bite off more than she can chew." Eli bit back a laugh of agreement when Sheriff Mars continued, "But, I know you." Eli stiffened slightly, waiting for the part where the Sheriff tells him he isn't good enough for his little girl. "I know you have your problems, and I don't particularly like my daughter being affiliated with your gang business."

"With all due respect sir," Eli interrupted, "if this is where you tell me to stay away from V, I'm gonna have to stop you there." Eli wanted to disappear, what on earth had made him talk back to the former sheriff was beyond him, but he kept going, ignoring her father who had him fixed in an inquisitive stare. "Because like you said, she bites off more than she can chew on a pretty regular basis and if her being _affiliated_ with my 'gang business' is what keeps people from trying to hurt her, then I'm gonna be that girl's shadow." He wanted to tell him that even if she didn't need help, he'd be at her side anyway because that's the only place that ever made sense to him, but now did not seem to be the time.

"Good." Sheriff Mars smirked, catching Eli completely off guard.

"Wait what?" Eli shook his head, confused by the turn of events.

"I said good." Sheriff Mars repeated, smiling wider.

Eli would have questioned Sheriff Mars further, if Veronica hadn't walked down the hall. She was absolutely breathtaking. He took in her light green dress that fell past her knees in a flowing almost sheer skirt, and a low cut halter top. "Wow." He muttered, not taking his eyes off her.

"You like it?" She asked doing a little spin, and all he could do was nod dumbly, "You dress up nice." She teased, taking in his slacks and shirt.

"I try." He smirked, and fiddled with the clear box in his hand, "Here this is for you." He mumbled, aware that they were under the hawk-eye of her father still.

"Eli!" She grinned, opening it quickly and pulling it on her wrist. "It's perfect." It went with her dress well, the biggest flower a white simple white rose surrounded by little blue flowers, which Eli honestly had no clue what they were. "Thank you."

Eli just nodded, "You ready to do this thing then?" He asked, excited and nervous at the same time.

"Yeah, but first!" She ran to the counter, and picked up her camera and handed it to her dad, "Make sure our eyes are open, before you hit the button, okay?" She told him as if it was something she had to remind him of every time he held a camera.

"Are you sure you want to document this?" Eli asked her lightly, as she came up beside him, grabbed his arm and placed it around her waist.

"You mean proof I got you dressed up?" She grinned, "Oh yeah."

"Alright, smile!" The flash went off, and to Sheriff Mar's credit he took Eli's favorite picture that night: Veronica is smiling brightly straight ahead, and Eli's smiling as well, except he never took his eyes off her.


	21. Chapter 21

The dance was pretty much how he imagined any school dance. Flat soda, bad music, and horrible dancing. Except the bombshell on his arm, that was never something he thought possible. And from all the stares at their entrance it wasn't what anyone else expected to see either. She waved at Meg happily, who was standing alone with an anxious look on her face.

"She doesn't know it's Duncan." She told him, "I figured she'd like the surprise, she thought it was Caz." He chuckled at the look of distaste that crossed her face at the mention of the jock.

"You want some punch or something?" He asked for after a minute of awkward standing. He watched her scan the table and her eyes fall on the punch bowl with a frown.

"No, god knows what they've done to it." She said, and at his raised eyebrow she changed the topic, "Let's dance!" She exclaimed, grabbing his hand and pulling the hesitant biker towards the floor.

"I'm more of a salsa guy, I don't know how to dance to this." He told her and she stopped a glimmer in her eye.

"You can salsa?" She asked, excitement in her voice.

"Yeah," He nodded, "I can tango too, abuela had me and Chardo learn a long time ago." It was an attempt to get them into something besides motorcycles and cars.

"Then this should be a breeze." She told him, "Most of these guys are just standing anyway." That was true, most girls seemed to be using their boyfriends as grinding posts. At the first shake of her hips he was drawn in and let her pull him into the mob of dancing teens. She hooked an arm around her neck, and his hands gripped her waist as they began to move to the fast paced song.

He didn't know how many songs went by until one slow song hit, which he half expected her to take a break, but was happily surprised when she pulled him close and rested her head on his shoulder. "This is really nice." She said after a moment of them swaying amongst the couples, and Eli wondered if that's what they were: a couple.

"Yeah." He agreed, and it was. Surprisingly enough, Eli Navarro was having fun at a school event. No booze involved. The moment she looked up at him he knew he was going to kiss her, there in front of everybody. Except a drunken Echolls stumbled through to ruin the moment.

"Aww, it's like beauty in the beast. Or maybe the frog prince," Logan slurred, "Go ahead kiss him maybe he'll look better afterwards." Eli would have done something in retaliation, if Echolls had remained standing for the whole slur.

"He's wasted." Veronica muttered, shaking his head.

"Yeah, I see that." Eli nodded, looking at the still talking Logan, but not really paying attention to his drunken babble.

Veronica sighed, pondering over something, "I'm gonna call his sister, and have her come get him can you…" she hesitated and then motioned to Logan and then the door.

Eli groaned, "If he tries to take a swing at me, we're leaving his ass here." He told her, but Echolls had lost all fight in him before Eli even bent down to help him up. Veronica was on the phone while Eli led the drunken teen past the oblivious chaperones and towards the parking lot.

It wasn't long before a red headed girl arrived and whisked Logan away, leaving them to stand outside. Eli was about to ask if she wanted to go back in when her phone rang. "Hello?" She answered almost immediately, "Hello!" Her tone had more of a bite the second time, before she hung up.

"Who was that?" He asked.

"I don't know, I've been getting hang ups all week." She muttered, "I'm about to trace the call."

He raised an eyebrow at her, "Or you could *69 it." The look on her face was priceless, when she realized she hadn't come up with the simple solution.

She did so quickly, "Hello, who is this?" She demanded as soon as someone on the other line picked up, "Someone just called me from this number!" She exclaimed, and then fell silent at whatever the other person was saying. "A blonde woman? Where?" She hung up moments later, determination in her eyes. "We have to go."

"Go?" Eli echoed, starting towards the car regardless. "Go where?"

"Barstow."

"What's in Barstow?"

"My mom."

They stopped at his house first, two return the car and change. Eli was about to offer her some clothes his abuela had kept from his mother and aunts, but she pulled clothes from her messenger bag that she always carried. He wondered if that had meant she had already planned on not going home before she heard about her mom, if that meant she had planned to stay with him all night. He didn't get to ponder it long before they were back out the door and on his bike heading down the PCH.

The place was a seedy bar and Eli almost stopped her from going in. No doubt her mom was in there, drunk. He remembered when his abuela kept tracking down his mother, bar after bar, flop house after flop house, whenever his mom would call. She'd go pick her up, clean her up, and then his mom would be gone again. Until Abuela finally stopped running to her rescue, and in return his mom stopped calling.

There was no stopping it though, it was something every child of an alcoholic has to learn on their own. That their parents can only save themselves, and more likely than not they weren't going to. Veronica was at the bar and by her mother's side before Eli was all the way in the door.

"Mom!" She greeted, but the woman did not react how he thought she would.

"Veronica?" She gasped in disbelief, "No! No no no," she groaned, as Eli came up behind Veronica, "You can't be here."

"V, maybe we should—" he tried to say softly but Veronica either didn't hear or chose to ignore him.

"I'm getting you out of here." She said, trying to help her mother out of the stool, who ended up almost stumbling to the floor before Eli caught her.

"You can't be here." Her mom repeated, "They'll hurt you." Eli was on high alert as soon as the statement left her mouth.

"I know who it is, it's okay!" She tried to soothe her mother as Eli scanned the room for any possible threat. His eyes narrowed in on a middle aged black man who was staring at them from the corner. "I know who's black mailing us, you're safe!" The man got up and headed for the door. Veronica saw him too, and gasped with recognition. Eli went to follow after the man, when Veronica grabbed his wrist. "Don't!" She nearly squeaked. "Let him go."

Eli did as he was told, and instead had the bartender call a cab for Veronica's mom. Once they got a cup of coffee in her, Veronica's mom calmed down and went with Veronica in the cab, while Eli followed them to a nearby motel on his bike. He didn't know what was said during the cab ride, but Veronica had tears streaked down her face when they got out.

Eli helped her mom inside, while Veronica got a room, and then nearly carried the woman up the stairs to the second floor. Veronica ushered her mom towards the bathroom, where she promptly started puking into the tub instead of the toilet. It wasn't until Veronica closed the door to give her mom privacy he asked.

"What's the plan here, V?" He didn't want to burst whatever bubble had formed in her head.

"She's going to go to rehab, I'm going to take her to one."

"Usually takes a couple weeks for insurance to go through for that."

"I've got enough in savings to get her into one tomorrow." She shrugged.

Eli's eyes bulged nearly out of his head, "You cannot be serious."

"She'll pay me back once she gets on her feet." Veronica tried to reassure, but Eli wasn't having it.

"Yeah I'm sure that's what she promised." Eli responded, "That's what tuition?" At her shrug he knew he was right, "You can't gamble with that, V."

"It's not a gamble!" She hissed, "You don't understand, she's only like this because of those pictures!" She tried to tell him, "She can't handle the blackmail."

"That's an excuse Veronica!" He snapped, "I saw her before those pictures were even taken, what was her excuse then?" She didn't respond, "Don't do this, V."

"What am I supposed to do?" She nearly whispered, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Honestly?" He asked, and at her nod he handed her his phone, "Call your dad."

Sheriff Mars didn't ask a lot of questions, just listened as Veronica rambled on a skeleton of a tale, all the major details, like who what and where, but nothing about the blackmail photos or the man in the bar that had obviously spooked her. After a minute of her talking she hesitated before holding out the phone. "He wants to talk to you." Eli figured that this would be his first and last date with Veronica.

"Hello?" He asked awkwardly, unsure of what to expect.

"Hello Eli." The Sheriff sighed over the other end, "Can you please bring my daughter home?"

"Yes, sir." He said automatically.

"Is my wife conscious?" The question was laced with bitterness. Eli took that time to peak in on Lianne, who was passed out on the bathroom floor.

"She's…sleeping." He tried to put delicately, but the bark of humorless laughter on the other end was no stranger to what was happening.

"I'm leaving now, so I'll be there soon enough." Sheriff Mars told him, "Just make sure she's on her side when you leave her."

"Yes, sir." Still waiting for whatever shouting was coming his way. About leaving the dance. About how he took her all the way to Barstow.

"And Eli?" Here it comes. "Thank you for having her call me."


	22. Chapter 22

"I think it's time you started telling me some things, V." Eli said to her after they reached her apartment. She had been silent getting off the bike and all the way upstairs, barely acknowledging that he was following her.

"What do you want to know, Eli?" She asked, flopping on to her couch in defeat.

"Who was the guy in the bar?" It had been on his mind ever since Veronica had stopped him from following.

She frowned, "Clarence Weiderman, he's the head of security at Kane Software."

Eli thought back to Echolls Christmas Party when she revealed to him that Celeste Kane had the photos taken of her. However, Aaron Echolls had stolen any thunder the news had brought. "Ok, so why is he watching you?"

"He was looking for her…" She said as if something had just occurred to her. "I led him right to her." Eli was about to ask what she was talking about when she started tearing through her bag in search of god knows what. Suddenly she yanked out a panda shaped pencil sharpener staring at it as if it had done something horrid to offend her. She broke it open and there tumbling out on the coffee was a tiny electronic device.

Eli opened his mouth to speak when she slammed her hand over it, silencing him. She pressed a finger to her mouth and then motioned for him to follow her back out of the apartment. It wasn't until they were outside and down by his bike he asked, "What the fuck was that?" Even though he had a sickening feeling he already knew.

"A bug, he's been listening in since I got that damn thing in the mail." It wasn't often that Veronica cursed, but when she did Eli thought she sounded cute as hell, however this wasn't the time to focus on that.

"Why?" Eli demanded, "What have you gotten yourself into, chica?" And then it dawned on him, "Lily." At the wince of her dead best friend's name he continued, "This is about who killed Lily isn't it? It was one of the Kane's wasn't it." His mind raced with thoughts of the dead girl who once ruled his world. A girl who's name burned on his side for eternity. Veronica had never seen his tattoo for Lily, and he dreaded the day she did see it. The proof that he had once loved her best friend.

"My mom pissed off Celeste Kane royally by threatening Jake with a paternity test for me." She said bluntly, "She also can ruin every alibi the Kane's had. They most likely had Weiderman cover up the murder." She moved closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder as he moved to wrap his arms around her, only making her snuggle closer to him.

"Why would they…" He started to ask the obvious question, but even she couldn't tell him that so he tightened his grip and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "What are you going to do about the bug?" He asked after a minute.

She looked up a determined look on her face, "I'm gonna use it to my advantage."

Veronica insisted later that Eli didn't need to stay until her father returned, in fact she insisted he go home before the sheriff ever returned to Neptune. He had already called to tell her he had arrived with Lianne, who was still 'sleeping' soundly in bed where Eli had moved her before they had hit the road.

But even though he relented, leaving her alone in the apartment, he didn't leave the Inn. Instead he called Felix who came as soon as he was told to no questions asked, and they sat by her car watching for any signs of trouble. It was daybreak when they finally left, only 3 hours until the start of school, and no doubt was his abuela wasn't going to let him miss school to sleep all day. Not that he wanted to, he needed to keep an eye on Veronica.

Felix stayed at his house, catching an hour of sleep on his couch as Eli collapsed on his bed, only to be awoken by abuela shouting for him to get up. When he came out to the kitchen where Felix was sleepily munching on a piece of bacon, his abuela grinned "So how was it? Did you have fun, mijo?" She nearly gushed, causing Felix's eyebrows to disappear in his hairline.

"Yeah," he mumbled, sitting down and ignoring the inquisitive look he was being shot across the table.

"Did you get pictures?" She demanded.

"Her dad took one," He shrugged.

"I want a copy, mijo." She told him firmly.

"Picture of what?" Felix finally asked.

Eli opened his mouth, but before he could explain Angel walked in the front door, "Well I got to hand it to you, you didn't scratch her." He said, patting Eli on the back, and taking the keys to the Corvette off the table. "Maybe I'll let you take your girl out in it again."

Felix's eyes widened, "You took a girl out?" There was almost an accusation in his tone, "Who?" When Eli hesitated Felix said something that really caught him off guard, "Does V know?"

"What?" He asked, not bothering to explain that Veronica had been the girl in question.

"The girl is in love with you, man." Felix all but snapped, "You guys do this awkward flirt and favor shit, now you're taking out some broad?" Eli's eyes widened comically as Angel started to laugh gaining a confused look from Felix.

"He took Blondie to the dance." Angel laughed.

Felix's jaw dropped, and he stared at Eli, "The dance?" He echoed, like he wasn't quite sure he heard correctly. At Eli's shrug, "and you took V?" At Eli's curt nod, Felix started laughing, "Did you wear a tie?"

Eli's fist found Felix's shoulder, making the laughter stop but the grin never left his face. "About damn time man." Felix told him, grabbing another piece of bacon and Eli found himself nodding in agreement.


	23. Chapter 23

When Eli opened his locker he was not expecting the brown paper bag already inside, but there it was among a couple sketchbooks and a History book he had yet to bring to class this year. He was hesitant at first to grab it, looking around to see if anyone was watching him, wary of whatever could be inside. For all he knew he was about to be framed, and whatever was in there didn't need his fingerprints on it.

However a familiar smell hit him, and he snatched the bag so quick, and nearly ripped it open to look inside. There sat at least two dozen of what looked to be his Abuela's Molasses Cookies. Now, he knew these cookies very well. They were made every Christmas, and he always got one tin full of them. They were his favorite.

He pulled one out and took a hesitant bite, and almost closed his eyes in satisfaction as he tasted it. Definitely not his Abuela's, which were amazing, but these were softer and nearly melted in his mouth. Whoever made these knew how to bake, that was for certain. Which brought him back to the question: who in the hell would bake him cookies?

"What's that, man?" Felix asked coming behind him, peering into the bag, "Hell yeah man, what's the occasion?" He asked, grabbing one and biting into it. "Holy shit," he nearly moaned, stuffing the rest into his mouth, "I didn't think it was possible but you're grandma got them to taste even better."

"…She didn't make them." He said after a minute, looking around again for a culprit. A reason. "They were just in my locker."

Felix raised an eyebrow before grabbing another cookie from the bag. "Never would have thought V for the Betty Crocker type." He said.

"You think V did this?" Eli asked skeptically.

Felix laughed, "Dude, who else would not only make you cookies but know your locker combination." He was right, no one knew his locker combination, but she would be the one to figure it out. "That's the type of shit girlfriends do."

"Girlfriend?" Eli echoed, but Felix had already started to head to class. He made his way to find Veronica at her own locker. He had her and her friend Wallace in his sights when Vice Principal Clemmons demanded her presence in his office. So there he stood holding a bag of cookies in his hand wondering what exactly they meant, because they were beginning to taste like sweet victory.

She wasn't at lunch, and by then he was trying to fend off Hector and Thumper for the last couple. "You had at least 13 man, I watched you." Hector complained, as Eli smacked away his hand. "She'll make you more." Eli glared at Felix for telling everyone Veronica made him cookies, who shrugged innocently, they had teased him for a while but after he each gave them one they just kept asking for them. He was trying to savor them though, holding onto the bag like it was proof of something.

"Yeah man, they were just in my locker man, snickerdoodles." Eli heard a familiar voice say from behind him, and when he turned he saw Veronica's friend Wallace munching away on cookies, a brightly decorated box with the words 'We love you Wallace" on the front. Suddenly the brown paper didn't seem as special. There was no way that both Eli and Veronica's best friend got surprise cookies on the same day coincidentally. He was about to hand over the last of the cookies when Wallace continued, "Too bad they aren't chocolate chip man, those are my favorite." Eli couldn't help but grin. He didn't get snickerdoodles. He got his favorite.

It was the end of the day, and he had come to the conclusion that Veronica was not at school anymore. He didn't know what happened in Mr. Clemmons office, but her car was gone from the lot by the time he went to get his bike. "Where's your girl, Weevil?" Hector asked, but Eli just shrugged him off as his phone rang.

He didn't recognize the number, but answered regardless. "Yeah."

"Hey, Eli you busy?" He knew that girls voice.

"You get a new number, V?" He asked, sitting on his bike, but not moving to turn it on.

"No, this isn't my phone." She said, "I'm about to send you a picture."

"Is it a naughty one?" He teased, enjoying her laugh on the other end.

"You wish." She told him, and she was right. He did. "Hey have you heard about Rest Stop 15?" He almost laughed, heard of it, more like the PCHers ran business there.

"I'm familiar with the place." He said nonchalantly.

"Why am I not surprised." She laughed again, "You want to meet me up there?"

"Sure, chica, give me like 10 minutes." He told her, wondering why on earth she was even going to a place like that, and then it dawned on him. She was on a case. His theory was confirmed when he received a picture of a nerdy looking kid and what looked to be Polly the parrot, who according to the grape vine had gone missing.

"Hey I'm heading up to the Stop early," He called over to Felix who had just reached his bike.

"Why, Hector already went up there to relieve Thumper." Felix told him, referring to Thumper's job of taking bets on the basketball game between Pan and Neptune.

"V wants me to."

"Business or pleasure." Felix asked.

"It's V we're talking about man, it's always business first." Eli laughed, "You comin' or what?" Felix hesitated.

"You go ahead man, I got to run some errands for my mom." He told him, but Eli wasn't sure if he believed him. Felix was a lot of things, but a good liar was not one of them. Eli let it slide for the moment, figuring he'd find out sooner or later and if Felix was hiding it, he most likely had nothing to worry about it.

He got to Rest Stop 15, and found Veronica pretty quickly. He smirked when he saw her decked in pink head to toe, looking like the little miss innocent she used to be. "Look at you, all dolled up." He teased, "Who's the clown with the bird?"

"Wilson, he thinks he's showing me around the stop at 4." She said glancing at her watch, it was 3:45. "Instead…" she grinned up at him wickedly, and any preconceived notions of innocence were gone.

"You want me to be here to greet him." He chuckled, elated by the idea of crushing some fool's hopes of getting with his Veronica.

"Yeah, you won't have to do much." She grinned, "I think he's a talker." And he was, the kid was terrified as soon as he grabbed a hold of him, while Veronica watched from amongst the bikers. It took two hard shakes and a clever quip about punching a cracker he was told how the kid pretended to steal the bird to be cool.

"That's this close" He told him, putting his finger and thumb mere centimeters apart, "to bringing your hot cousin to prom. Get out of here" The kid didn't need to be told twice, he scurried off, not even noticing Veronica walk towards Eli. "No more favors for you." He told, not at all serious, "Now I got to feel bad for the kid."

"If it makes you feel better, I hate myself." She said watching the dork run with a frown on her face.

"Hey you the guy?" Some jock from Pan High asked from a truck, pulling Eli's attention away from Veronica and on to other business.

"Probably." He said vaguely, walking up to the truck.

"Can you put me down for a 100 on Neptune?" The jock said, Pan students had no sense of loyalty apparently because they were betting an awful lot on Neptune to win. "Hey Betty!" The kid grinned looking over Eli's shoulder. Eli looked behind him confused, only to see Veronica waving back at the kid an innocent smile on her face.

He thought back to Felix's comment about her being the Betty Crocker type and he almost laughed at the coincidence. "Excuse me, Betty." He said, a smirk on his lips, "Trying to work a little business here." Her smile widened and she moseyed away without a word.

"That girl is something else, man." The guy commented watching her ass as she walked away.

"How do you know my girl, Betty?" Eli said, catching him in a hard stare, loving the way the kid squirmed in his seat.

"I just know she's the new girl at Pan." He said quickly, and wasted no time placing his bet and leaving.

Eli chuckled before turning around to face Veronica who was shaking her head with a smile, "What?" he asked innocently.

"Your girl, huh?" She smirked, before he could it take back she eliminated the space between them and pressed her lips lightly against his, catching him by surprise. "I like the sound of that." She murmured against his lips before pulling away and walking towards her car, ignoring the catcalls and hollers from his crew as she passed.

"Where you going?" He called after her, when he finally realized what had just happened.

She flashed a smile over her shoulder, "To see a cop about a favor." And she was gone.


	24. Chapter 24

He hadn't planned on showing up at Mars Investigations, he had every intention of waiting until the next day to figure out what she wanted with him. He remembered how it was with Lily, always a maybe never a definite. Veronica kissing him in front of his crew seemed pretty definite to him. Hell even before that, it was better than it ever had been with Lily. He had never been her secret.

He was halfway up the stairs before he realized where he was going, but before he could walk through the doorway a vaguely familiar voice came from inside "Yeah that's not gonna cut it." Eli hesitated, wondering if he should even be there.

"What do you mean?" Veronica's voice sounded slightly wary, so he decided to stay posted at the doorway just out of site, just in case she needed him.

"I don't want to bribe you, but I think aiding and abetting entitles me at least a dinner date." No. There was no way Eli was gone let this happen. Not when he was just making progress.

He walked in before he could think about it anymore, and plopped down beside the surprised blonde. "Hey, babe." He said casually, like this was a common occurrence, throwing an arm around her shoulders. He looked over at the guy and instantly recognized him. He was the new deputy in Neptune, and Veronica had distracted him down at the station a couple weeks ago for something she had never bothered to explain. The deputy seemed to recognize him as well. "Deputy." He nodded in a curt greeting.

"I should probably be going." The Deputy said after an awkward moment of silence.

"I was going to turn him down you know." She told him lightly, leaning against him. When Eli just shrugged she grinned, "Are you jealous, Eli?"

"Who wouldn't be, querida." He murmured, remembering back to when they had almost the same conversation about Troy. She grinned at him, and he took that moment to bring his lips down on hers. She happily reciprocated, clinging on to the lapels of his jacket pulling him as close as possible.

"What are we doing?" He murmured against her lips, and he felt hers curve in to a smile.

"Isn't it obvious?" She asked, kissing him again and he forced himself to pull away which was almost impossible as she groaned in protest.

"That's not what I mean." He said softly.

"What do you mean, Eli?" She asked softly, not in an exasperated way but in an honestly curious tone.

"I want you to be mine." He said almost automatically.

She smiled at him with that bright smile he loved so much, "I'm already yours." That's all he needed to hear before his lips were back on hers. He was on cloud nine and nothing could ruin that moment. Except her phone ringing.

"Yeah?" She answered with a sigh. She sat up a little straighter at whoever spoke, "Yeah, you're picking your mom up from work today right?" She asked, "Stop by my house first, k?" Whoever agreed, and she hung up quickly, "I have to go…" She said reluctantly.

"You do, do you?" He smirked, pulling her back towards him, placing kisses on her neck by her ear, "And where do you have to go?"

"The flower shop," And at his quirked eyebrow she explained, "Wallace's mom works at Kane Software, I'm having him deliver a plant to Weidman's secretary."

"And why are we sending flowers to Weidman's secretary?" He asked against her skin.

"Because he's not dumb enough to accept gifts from strangers." She said evasively pulling away slightly, but at the raise of Eli's brow she explained further, "I'm sending it with this." She told him, pulling a small device that looked similar to the bug they had found in her pencil sharpener. Eli didn't like the idea of her trying to plant a bug in Kane Software, but he didn't argue. She would do it regardless if he wanted her to or not, and at least she was getting her friend to do the actual delivery.

He changed the subject, "What's that?" He nodded towards the box of what looked to be mixtapes in a box covered in wrapping paper.

"The interrogation tapes of Lily's murder." She said nonchalantly, but his heart stopped. He was interrogated for Lily's murder. For hours about all the intimate details of his relationship. She seemed to notice his change of posture or maybe the expression on his face and she started digging through the cassettes before pulling out one and handing him one. He looked down and read the tiny print on the case _Elias Miguel Navarro October 4 2003._ He looked up at her questioningly, "I don't need to hear it. If there was something I needed to know about you would have told me." She said it with such certainty, he didn't know what to say. No one ever trusted him like that before.

She collected up all the tapes without waiting for a response so he got to his feet, preparing to take his leave. "I wasn't the only one." He found himself saying as they walked down the stairs after she locked up the office.

"What do you mean?" She asked, as they walked out onto the sidewalk.

"Besides Logan and me." He said rubbing his head, "Lily had some other guy. Never knew who, another secret of hers." She looked deep in thought for a minute, and he found himself saying more. "He didn't go to Neptune, and he had money. I was the only one she was slumming with." She frowned at the remark.

"Lily slummed it with a lot of guys, Eli." She said, "But you weren't one of them." She kissed him softly and then got in the her leaving him to think. Shaking himself out of the memories of blonde ghosts, and the thought of a certain alive one. He got on his bike and headed for his house. His abuela was still at the Echolls and Ophelia and Julio were with their mother, Eli's sister Anita, who had just moved in with her new boyfriend, so the house was weirdly empty.

He fiddled with the tape before slipping it into his old Walkman. Sliding the head phones over his years and hesitantly pressed play.

"_Hello, Eli"_ Sheriff Mars' voice sounded in his ears, and Eli flopped on his bed and closed his eyes.

"_Sheriff." _The hard voice of Eli responded. He had thought at the time he was being brought in for something petty, something got stolen so the Sheriff's Department immediately came to the Navarro door.

_"Do you know why you're here?"_

_ "Because Deputy Don woke me up and demanded my presence._" He had been out drinking the night before and he couldn't get a hold of Lily the day before since he had community service most of the day. He didn't know yet.

"_How do you know Lily Kane?" _At the time the question had caught him so off guard, he feigned ignorance.

"_We go to school together."_

_ "You didn't know her personally?"_

_ "Do I look like the type of guy Lily Kane gets to know personally?"_

_"Well you called her the day before yesterday six times. Two of those times you talked for over twenty minutes."_ There was a long silence.

"_What's this about?"_

_ "Where were you between 2 and 5 pm yesterday?"_

_ "What's this about?"_

_ "Lily Kane was murdered last night." _The silence was unbearable, and Eli could remember all too well the feeling of finding out that the girl he thought he loved was dead.

"_What?"_

_ "Where were-"_

_ "Lily's dead?" _His voice was so small, so…young.

"_Yes."_

_ "Who…"_ He remembered the realization of why he had been brought to the station had dawned on him and he was overcome with anger. "_You think I did it?"_

_ "We just want to know where you were—"_

_ "I would never hurt Lily!" _He had yelled, nearly hysterical. "_I loved her!"_

_ "I thought you didn't know her personally."_

Eli ripped the headphones from his ears and sat up, not wanting to hear anymore. He grabbed his phone and called Felix, attempting to find something else to do. However Felix didn't answer, which had become a thing with Felix. He had been leaving school before Eli and then MIA for random times throughout the day. He always had an excuse, but Eli found himself believing less and less. His best friend was up to something. And he needed to find out what. And suddenly he had something else to do.


	25. Chapter 25

**(AN: So I was having a miserable day and then checked the reviews on this story and you guys just made my day, so here's tomorrows update early. And don't worry you still get one tomorrow too ;] )**

Veronica was helping the, in Eli's opinion, most uppity bitch in Neptune, Sabrina something or other. She was one of those people who were popular and smart and knew it. Eli had midterms to study for, and the smartest girl he knew was occupied. Felix was surprisingly good at history, but Eli had yet to learn what had his friend so busy all the time.

"Hey, uh, Mac?" He called out to Veronica's computer geek friend that he had heard about and seen but never approached.

She looked at him surprised, but answered nonetheless, "Hey Weevil…"

Eli rubbed the back of his head, "So you're smart right?"

She grinned at that, "I like to think so."

"Are you good at history?" He was thankful the computer lab he had found her in was empty, because Weevil Navarro asking for tutoring never happened. But not only his abuela expecting him to do good, but he was currently dating one of the smartest girls in school and he'd like to not look like a complete idiot come grade time.

Unfortunately Mac's face fell, "Uh not my forte, math and science I'm your girl."

"Oh well never mind." He started walking away when she called out.

"I know someone who is though…,"She said, and when he turned eyebrow raised she continued, "You know Wallace right?" Eli frowned, the last time he had even spoken to Veronica's best friend was when he was forced to apologize after duct taping him to a flag pole.

"Uh yeah," Eli muttered, "I don't think he'd be willing to help me, but thanks." And then he left.

Eli was in his room, staring at a page of what seemed to be nonsense. He didn't know how long he was left staring at the page, but he happily jumped up to answer the door as someone knocked. Hopefully it was Felix who could give him the cliff notes version of whatever it was he was reading.

"Hey!" Mac smiled brightly, with a hesitant looking Wallace.

"Uh, hey?" he echoed.

"I told Wallace that I needed help with my history midterm and since we planned to study together, I figured it would be okay to drag him along." He looked at her in absolute confusion until it dawned on him, she didn't tell Wallace he had asked for help, but found a way to get him to anyway.

"Uh, okay." He said, moving to let them inside, "Come on in."

"Who are your friends Eli?" His abuela asked, peering out of the kitchen as he led them to the dining room.

"Uh this is Mac and Wallace…we're gonna study together." The statement felt weird on his tongue, but the smile that appeared on his abuela's face was worth it. "Let me go get my book." He said to Mac and Wallace.

"Don't bother, I got all we need right here." Wallace stopped him pulling out a rather thin notebook.

"Unless that's the answers to the midterm," Eli started, sitting down nonetheless, "I think I'm gonna need more than that."

"It's even better." Wallace grinned, and Eli watched as he opened it to a post it note and the page was titled Chapter Eight and followed by a neat outline. "This my friends, is the notes of Veronica Mars."

Eli flipped a page, to see more neat print filling the pages. "I've never taken notes like this in class." He muttered.

"She didn't take this in class," Wallace laughed, "This is how V studies. She outline the whole freaking chapter. I haven't used one of my textbooks in ages."

"I couldn't do that," Mac said, "My hand would fall off." They were interrupted briefly by his abuela, who set some sandwiches down on the table.

"It's good for learning," she said at Eli's confused glance, she never made food for his friend's unless it was just Felix. Maybe he'd start to study more often. They got down to it, eating the peanut butter Nutella sandwiches, and Eli for once found himself going to sleep, confident that he'd do fine.

Felix was looking for a certain pesky blonde, after avoiding Weevil for days. If he ever needed her skills now would be the time. He was heading to her journalism classroom, when he heard someone scream from inside the room, "WHAT, YOU THINK I'M GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER EPISODE AND KILL YOU TOO!" Felix's problems forgotten he launched himself in the door to see a rather shaken Veronica being stared down by Duncan Kane.

"What the fuck did you just say to her?" Felix nearly growled, grabbing him by the back of his shirt and flinging him away from her.

"I…" Duncan looked lost, like he wasn't even sure what had happened. But the words 'another' and 'you too' echoed in his ears.

"You think you can get away with threatening Weevil's girl and there ain't gonna be consequences?" Felix snapped, taking another step forward but Veronica grabbed his arm.

"Don't." She demanded.

"You want me to go get Weevil instead?" He retorted, pulling his phone out and getting ready to dial. No way was this fucker getting away with this.

"Not unless you want to tell him what you were doing last night." She said crossing her arms in front of her, while Felix forgot how to breathe. Duncan chose that moment to scurry away and Felix made no move to go after him.

"How do you know—"

"You guys were at the Camelot, you're just lucky you weren't my mark." Veronica snapped, "and if you guys think you're being sneaky…" she kind of scoffed, "I should have figured it out after you flipped out about Susan Knight, I couldn't figure out how you knew her but then it dawned on me when I saw you with Mo—", Felix clamped a hand down on her mouth, surprising the petite blonde.

"Do not say her name." He hissed, glancing around the empty room. If anyone heard her, he'd be a dead man. She nodded hesitantly and he lowered his hand.

"Susan and shewhomustnotbenamed were bestfriends. That's the only reason you would know about Mr. Rooks." She was right of course. He remembered when Molly had come to him about Susan, asking for help.

"Anyone ever tell you you're too nosy?" He asked, but more exasperated than anything.

"All the time." She shrugged, "So how long are you planning on keeping this a secret?" She asked.

"Well as long as you keep your mouth, it shouldn't be a problem." He said.

"Yeah, if Eli wasn't already suspicious." That caught his attention, but before he could ask she continued, "You're not a good liar, Felix."

"What does he know?" He asked quietly.

"That you're lying to him." She said simply, "Luckily you're smart enough to use a car during your escapades. He's been digging though. It's only a matter of time, he's not an idiot." Felix knew she was right.

"He can't know." Felix said firmly, "No one can know. Her family…the PCHers…it's complicated." She seemed to be think for a minute, staring at him analytically.

"Then you're going need my help."


	26. Chapter 26

Eli read the article about the bomb threats three times before he went to go find Veronica. "This true?" He asked, when he finally found her.

"Yeah." She said, "I wouldn't have ran it if it wasn't."

"So you're investigating this?" He questioned.

"Yeah." She shrugged.

"You got suspects?" She nodded again, "Who?"

"Why-"

"Because you're gonna run off and follow these people, by yourself no doubt, and I want to know who the hell to track down if you don't check in." He said, "Either that, or I have someone follow you, and you tend to get upset when I do that." She cracked a smile at that.

"The new kid Ben."

"Norris' friend?" He asked.

"You know Norris?" She asked almost surprised.

"Yeah, we were close before I joined the PCHers." He shrugged, "Tried to recruit him awhile back but he wasn't interested. He a suspect?"

She frowned, "I wish he wasn't." And she sounded sincere.

"You know Norris?" He echoed her question back at her.

"Not personally," She shrugged, "The week after Lily died, before…" She hesitated, and Eli caught the far off look that crossed her face for before she continued, "I met you." The image of her in the dirty white dress, on her knees sobbing in the park, came back to him. "He stood up for me. These guys were shooting spitballs at me and he got them to stop."

It didn't really surprise him, Norris had been head over for Veronica since the 7th grade. Just after Eli had met her at the station they had been playing dodgeball at gym. Veronica had been terrified, a fragile little thing, and Dick Casablancas thought that was a perfect target. Veronica never got hit though. Norris managed to beam every kid that aimed her way, Dick getting the worst, standing in front of her until they were the last ones standing. When Eli asked him why later in the locker room, Norris just blushed and shrugged.

"Well you're safe around him. I don't know this new kid." Eli said.

"It's weird he doesn't even have a file. But it might not have been faxed over from his old school." She told him, as they headed toward the parking lot. "But I heard Norris and them fighting earlier, and it sounds like Norris thinks he's a little too _extreme_. But comes from Norris' home IP."

Eli was impressed on how much she knew, "Damn detective, you got bugs everywhere?"

"Just friends in the right places." She smirked, and he instantly thought of Mac the computer genius and Wallace the office aid. His girl was resourceful, he just didn't realize how often they helped her out with cases. Seemed she had a crew of her own.

She glanced over at Ben who was getting into a station wagon, "I got to go." She told him, pressing a kiss to his lips which he relished, pulling her to him making her smile against his lips. She pulled away, as Ben pulled out of his parking spot, "I'll call you at 4, if I don't call me because you know me." He did, when she was on the prowl she lost sense of time. "If I don't answer feel free to send the Calvary".

"Alright, chica." He nodded, "4. On the dot." He was meeting up with the boys anyway, and Felix once again was MIA. She flashed him a smile before sliding into her car and driving after the new kid. He started heading over to his motorcycle when he saw Norris walking towards the buses.

"Hey Norris!" He hollered, catching the other teen's attention, as he walked over to him. "You got a minute?"

Felix had just left Molly, and dropped off Veronica's friend Mac's old car and got his bike from the Pan High School Parking lot, which Veronica had arranged for him. Before he drove off he pulled out his phone to call Veronica.

"Hey," She answered happily, "What are you doing?"

"Just leaving Pan, you?" He asked.

"Just following up on some—", something made her stop and then he heard a muffled, "What are you doing?!"

Felix straightened, "V?"

"Let's go for a ride?" He heard a man say on the other line and Felix's blood ran cold.

"Veronica?!" He snapped on the other line but she still didn't reply. He abandoned the bike climbing into the car again, so he could keep his ear to the phone while he sped towards Neptune.

"Where are we going?" He heard, "The Camelot?" He stomach dropped, every possible scenario running through his head, and he pressed the gas little harder, and made it to Neptune in an illegal time frame. He pulled into the parking lot of the Camelot, and spotted the familiar Le Baron. He no longer heard anything on the other end, but spotted Veronica being dragged up the stairs by the new kid that he saw hanging around Norris Clayton. He scrambled out of the car and up the back stairs intercepting them and barreling into the kid.

"You mother fucker", he roared, landing fist after fist into the kids face.

"Felix, stop!" Veronica cried, yanking at his jacket, "He's ATF!" Felix dropped the kid and turned to her confused, noticing the badge she was holding in her hand.

"What kind of fed kidnaps high school girls?" He barked, backing away nonetheless. Veronica looked like she wanted to know the same thing.

"Can we talk privately?" He asked Veronica.

"Not in your fucking lifetime." Felix spat, and Veronica nodded in agreement.

"Fine," The kid fed muttered, gesturing towards a door close by, "Can I go?" Felix was furious, still wanting to pummel the fucker.

"You're lucky you got that badge protecting you." He growled, taking it from Veronica and tossing it at the kid, before steering her back to her car.

"Thanks." She murmured and he noticed her shaking slightly.

Pulling her into a hug, "Anytime, blondie, you know I'd never let anyone hurt you." She held on to him. "Where's your man at?" He asked, curious on why Weevil didn't have someone watching after her.

Her head shot up at the question but she didn't pull away, "What time is it?!" She panicked.

"Almost 5." He shrugged, "Why?" The roar of motorcycles answered his question.

She wasn't answering, and Eli was in a panic. He had everyone looking for her, so when Thumper called to tell he found them he almost sighed with relief until, "She's at the Camelot with Felix, man."

"What?"

"I just got here, and they were walking down the stairs together." Eli didn't know what to say, so he hung up and rounded everyone up and headed that direction. He saw them immediately, Felix's arms around her, she looking up at him. He watched them rip apart as they heard the bikes and he pulled up beside them, tearing of his helmet.

"Weev—", Felix started, but Eli had lost any sense of reason winding back and clocking him in the face. Veronica yelled something, but Eli didn't hear as Felix stumbled back onto the hood of the car as Eli followed up with another punch.

"ELI STOP!" She screamed, and Eli swung around on her glaring at her with such ferocity she flinched back.

"You know, I figured Felix was sneaking around because he had a new piece of ass. I just didn't think it was going to be you." He hissed, glancing at the seedy motel. Sure she came here on cases all the time, but she never got out of her car, she never parked in the lot like a customer, never needed to walk up the stairs…this was different.

"You think I'm cheating on you with Felix!" She snapped incredulously, "He just came to my fucking rescue, you idiot!"

"What are you talking about?" Eli asked not as sure of himself as he had been.

"That fucking Ben kid carjacked me and luckily I was on the phone with Felix and he heard it happen so he came to save me." She explained. Eli mulled this over, glancing around the parking lot. That's when he saw the flaw in her story.

"Then where's his bike?' He asked coldly. Her dignified look fell from her face and she looked at Felix with…guilt? Eli shook his head when neither chose to answer, "You really are something, V." He told her, "Guess what they say about you is true, so what did he do that got you on your back so quick, cuz I really bought that 'I'm not a Whore' act you had going." Hurt flashed across her face but he didn't get to feel bad very long because Felix caught him off guard with a punch to the face.

"You're fucking stupid, man." Felix hissed, spitting blood on the ground from his own injuries. Hector went to retaliate, but Eli held an arm out to stop him. "Get in your car, V." She did as she was told wiping her tears away, and Eli had to ignore the feeling of guilt dwelling in his stomach. "You gonna get out of the way?" Felix snapped, nodding towards the bikes, Eli and the rest of the PCHers backed up just enough for her car to pull out of her spot. He waited for Felix to hop in with her so they could speed off together. But Felix walked to her window, muttered something to her that he couldn't hear

"No, let him believe what he wants." He heard her loud and clear, "Everyone else does." And then she started her car and pulled away, leaving Felix behind.

"What your girlfriend leave you to fend for yourself" Eli taunted, still reeling with betrayal and confusion.

Felix just shook his head, "You're a fucking idiot man." He said, before pulling a set of keys from his pocket and walking over to a hastily parked car. Eli watched in confusion as he got in the random car and drove away.


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: Sorry for the delay, FF's doc manager wouldn't let me upload at midnight.

There was a major difference in Neptune, and everyone knew it. Felix and Veronica were inseparable, and the PCHers didn't even look at them. Both had tried to contact Eli, but Eli was stubborn so he hit ignore every time. He had been working at his uncle Angel's shop more and more, and one day walking in he saw something for sale sitting in the lot, something that made his jaw drop. Felix's bike.

Now Eli hadn't jumped Felix out like he should have, he had it done to Chardo his flesh and blood, but couldn't set the order on Felix. He hadn't stolen his bike and thrown it into the ocean either. "I was surprised as you." His uncle said coming up behind him, "He wasn't even asking for full value price man." That caught Eli's attention, one thing Felix did a lot was brag about how much his bike was worth, he had worked his ass off to get it custom.

"He say why?" Eli asked, his uncle knew Felix was no longer PCH.

"Said he can't take it with him." Angel shrugged, leaving Eli to ponder his words. Can't take it with him where?"

Veronica, Felix, and Molly Fitzpatrick were piled into Mac's old rust bucket and headed for the train station in L.A. When they pulled up Veronica pulled out a manila envelope and opened it, fishing out whatever contents were inside. "Alright, Mr. Juan Carlos Ramirez," she said handing an ID to him, "and Miss Lacey Ann Gerard"

"Juan Carlos? Really V?" Felix laughed, but it wasn't his usual energetic laughter. Molly was wide eyed and nervous but accepted the ID, clutching it in her hand. "This is really good." He said admiring the fake.

"I made it didn't I?" She grinned, but it didn't reach her eyes. No wanted to face the reality that this was goodbye. "Here's everything you're gonna need, all your paperwork to get into any trucking school you choose and rent a place." She told them handing them the envelope.

They all got out of the car and Veronica pulled him into a tight hug as Molly waited by the door to the terminal. "Thank you, V. I won't forget this."

"Just write as soon as you find a place to settle down," She told him, "You have the PO BOX number?"

"You've only made me recite it a million times." He chuckled into her hair before pulling away, "This isn't the last time you're gonna see me, Hermana."

"I know." She said, but both of them felt like they were lying, "What can I say, I'm an only child, it was nice having an older brother for a while." She smiled shakily.

"I'll always be your family, V." He told her, dropping a kiss on the top of her head as his train number was called for boarding.

"You should go." She nodded, and he did. Neither one saying goodbye, neither one being able to.

Something was wrong. Veronica was by herself again. Eli noticed it instantly, as she sat at her table alone. Wallace was over by the basketball team, Mac didn't have this lunch, and Felix hadn't been at school. Actually Felix's mom called him to tell him that he had left Neptune with a note saying he needed to 'find himself' or some shit, and asking if he wanted to pick up the letter Felix had left for him. He hadn't.

Eli debated on swallowing his pride, and walking over to figure out what the hell was going on, but Echolls intercepted. As he watched the rich boy slide into the seat next to her, and she let him, he stormed away in the opposite direction. After school, he noticed her car still in the lot, so he waited around. But Wallace walked up saying he saw her get into Logan's car right after lunch. Lily's face flashed through his mind, and his hands clenched into fists.

"You know you fucked up right?" Wallace said as he turned to head towards his bike.

"Yeah and how's that?" He barked, swinging back around.

"You really think Veronica would cheat on you?" Wallace retorted, "I mean after everything her mom put her family through. You know that's why her parents are getting divorced right now. And with Felix?"

Eli hadn't known about the divorce, she had never mentioned her mom since they came back from Barstow at least never in the present tense. "When did she tell you about her parents?"

"She didn't, my mom did." Wallace shrugged, "Our parents started dating, V and I don't chill like we used to." He had noticed that much, but was surprised to hear that it was because their parents were together, talk about awkward.

"Then what were they doing?" He asked eyebrow raised.

"My guess?" Wallace replied and at Eli's nod, "Some secret spy shit. It's kind of V's thing if you hadn't notice." With that he walked away, leaving Eli to think about what he had said.

Eli was sitting at the dining room table doing his homework when his abuela came home from work, a frown on her face. "What's wrong?" Eli asked after she fixed her eyes on him and the frown deepened.

"I saw Veronica today." She said softly, and put her purse on the table before heading into the adjoining kitchen.

"Yeah, where?" He asked, staring back at his geometry homework, but not focusing.

"I had your Uncle pick her up from the Echolls and give her a ride home." Eli's head snapped up at that, "At first, I couldn't figure out why she just didn't call you for help when she needed it." Eli's phone burned in his pocket, she had called he had chosen not to answer. And his abuela knew that.

"Why was she at the Echolls?" He asked, trying to change the subject.

"Why didn't you answer her call?" She demanded.

"We're not together anymore," he shrugged.

"Well I imagine that's why she was crying on the Echolls couch all afternoon." Shit, Elli winced, he didn't want to hear that she was crying. "I didn't raise a fool. Whatever you did, apologize." She ordered.

"If Echolls is comforting her, I'm sure she'll be fine." He snapped, not ready to admit he was wrong.

"You know, I thought that too when I saw them together." His abuela told him, and Eli knew it was a dig at him, "until his friends came over and he made her hide in another room for two hours before I realized she hadn't actually left."

"What?" Eli asked sharply.

"He didn't want them to know she was there, I think he said something like 'secrets are sexy'." He flinched, that was a line straight from Lily Kane.

"Is she okay?" He asked, his tone softening and with it his abuela's expression.

"She will be when you go talk to her, mijo."


	28. Chapter 28

Eli was a stubborn man. That much was obvious. It had been a week since his grandmother had seen Veronica at the Echolls house, and he had yet to approach her. She had stopped calling. After the last time he ignored her and his uncle drove her home, she hadn't tried to get a hold of him since. Felix was still gone, and he had yet to open the letter which Mrs. Toombs finally delivered to the Navarro house.

Hector had taken over as his right hand, and was good at the job and even managed to recruit Norris Clayton. Weevil had been more focused on the club than ever, now that he wasn't helping Veronica. He knew she was hanging out with Echolls, all the time and it infuriated him.

"So did you hear about Kane?" Thumper asked, as he joined them after school.

"That he's not here?" Eli shrugged, not really caring why he was there.

"He's on the run." Eli raised a skeptical brow, "Veronica accused him of killing Lily Kane."

Eli's eyes widened, she never actually voiced Duncan as a suspect to him, but it had been a while since they had talked. "Where did you hear that?"

Thumper shrugged, "Some kid heard them they day he left, Kane was screaming at her and Felix like ran in the room started shouting about fucking with her."

"What was Kane screaming about?"

"Something about having an episode and killing her too." Thumper had never liked Veronica. Always considered her an 09er, but the way he said it so nonchalantly he almost wanted to deck him.

"You don't think you should have started with that?" Eli asked eyebrow raised.

"Didn't think you cared about Blondie, after her and Felix." He shrugged. Eli shot him a nasty glare, before going off to find a certain blonde.

She was at her locker when he approached, "Hey V," Her head snapped over to him with a look of surprise, before a hard wall came up and her face went blank.

"Weevil." She said, grabbing a couple book from her locker and the slamming it closed.

"Can I talk to you?" He said hesitantly.

"You want to talk?" She scoffed in disbelief. "What do you need, Hector rob another store?" She sighed, and there it was. Where they stood. The 'flirt for favor shit' Felix had called it, but she wasn't flirting and neither was he and it just felt cold.

"I heard about Duncan." He said, "That you accused him of killing Lily." Her eyes widened dramatically and then narrowed into a glare.

"Why am I not shocked," she nearly spat, "the first time you bother to talk to me in weeks it's about Lily." She shook her head and went to walkaway but he stopped her.

"I heard he threatened _you_, that's why I'm here." He responded, and she stared at him with a piecing glare.

"Why do you care?" She asked, like it was the most ridiculous thing ever. "I told you I was carjacked you practically called me whore." He winced at that, "As for Duncan, I didn't accuse him off anything. " He noted that she didn't deny the threatening but didn't press his luck by asking.

Eli rubbed the back of his head, not really knowing what to say. "How's Felix?" the letter burning in his pocket. He didn't know why he had asked but the way her eyes watered, he instantly regretted it.

"I don't fucking know, Weevil." She said, and he knew she wasn't lying the way she said, like she really wished she did. "Now if you don't _need_ anything, I've got shit to do." He let her walkaway, leaving him there with even more questions.

Later that night he sat on his bed, fiddling with the envelope. He wanted to read it, but in all honesty he was afraid. Of what might be inside. Whether confirming Eli's accusations or proving him wrong, both were lousy options.

He tore it open and pulled out the letter, carefully unfolding it and began to read:

_Eli,_

_Let me start by saying you are one stupid mother fucker. Really, me fuck V? She's like my fucking sister man._ _And why would I betray you like that? You are right there is a girl, but it ain't V. And lets just say you wouldn't have approved and neither would her people. V helped us sneak around, I made her swear not to tell you. That's why I was driving that car instead of my bike. She really was car jacked, I really was on the phone with her when it happened. When I got there Ben was dragging her up the stairs at the Camelot. I was fucking helping her. You shouldn't have said that shit to her man. She loved you, she never would have hurt you. I hate leaving her alone, but me and…we have to go. She's still digging into Lily's murder and I hope you're still watching her back. I found my reason to escape the PCH and took it man, yours has been standing right in front of you. So get your head out of your ass. _

_Felix_

Eli read and reread the letter, his hand shaking in disbelief, anger, and regret. His hand clenched into a fist, crumbling the paper as he stood. It's not like he could just go to her, and tell him he knew the truth and he was sorry. She'd probably laugh in his face and run even more towards Echolls. And that's the last thing he wanted. From what he had heard they were close enough. And after what he put Lily through…he couldn't let him hurt her too.

No, Veronica had to let him in, he needed to get past whatever wall she had up. And the only way to do that was prove himself useful. Being protective wasn't going to work, she had made it obvious she didn't think he really cared about her. No he needed to do something else.

So that's why he found himself breaking into Lily Kane's house. It was a long shot, but he needed to get that stupid note pen Lily had tried to get him pass back and forth. For her secret lovers. He knew she used it for more than one person…maybe there was something…anything…there.

It was eerie, being in her room again. He had only ever been inside once, Duncan and Celeste were visiting cousins while Jake was on business. He didn't get a tour or anything, just a straight beeline to her bedroom. This room, which hadn't been touched at all. It was almost as if Lily was about to walk through the door, but he quickly shook away the thought as he started looking through her desk. It didn't take him long to find the pink frilly thing, and he had just slid it into his pocket when the door busted open and he was greeted by Celeste Kane's screams.

He stayed overnight in the sheriff's department cell, his abuela not bothering to bail him out. Not that she could if she had even wanted to. He was going away for this one. When he heard someone walk back to the cell, after Sacks shouted about him having a visitor, he assumed it would be Hector.

"You got that nail file and J-LO poster I asked for," he joked, still staring at the ceiling.

"Why were you in Lily's house?" H shot straight up and turned to see the last person he thought he'd see.

Eli quirked an eyebrow at her, "What a better place to B&E?" He shrugged and her frown deepened.

"I know about you and Lily, Weevil." The way she said it, like he had betrayed her. "I know you love her, so don't sit there and lie to me."

"You don't know shit about me and Lily." He snapped, trying to control his anger. The last thing he wanted to do was piss her off, "I went to get something for you."

"Yeah? What?" She snapped back looking at him in obvious disbelief.

He walked over to the bars leaning close to her, "If you get me out of here, I can tell you." No way was he about to tell her, so they can confiscate the damn pen before he can even look inside. She shook her head before leaving, taking all hope Eli had that he could maybe fix things between them. His eyes stung and he found himself blinking back what refused to believe were tears.

It wasn't until later that night Deputy Leo came up to the cell, "You know I don't get it."

"Get what man?" He asked tiredly.

"What she sees in you." Before Eli could respond the deputy opened the cell door wide.

"What's this?" Eli asked distrustfully, eyeing to officer at the door.

"Veronica just got your charges dropped." He said, like he didn't quite believe it himself, "You're free to go."

The next day Eli searched for Veronica in the parking lot only to see her pop out the back of some dudes van. "You always popping out of the back of some guys van?" He wanted to kick himself as soon as the words came out of his mouth, but he didn't apologize.

"Well, you know me." She said, "I see you're out."

"Yeah." He said, rubbing the back of his head, "How many 'get out of jail free' cards you got up that sleeve of yours?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, "That was my last one, so I'd keep your felonies to a minimum from here on out. But you're out so now you can tell me what you were doing in Lily's bedroom." Her arms crossed as she waited for an answer.

Eli reached into his pocket pulling out the pen and handing it to her. Her eyes lit up and she instantly opened it, he wasn't really surprised she knew what it was. She pulled out a letter, he hadn't been able to bring himself to look inside, he knew it wasn't from him. She read it for a minute, biting her lip.

"Anything interesting?" He asked softly after a moment.

"You could say that." She muttered, folding it up and slipping it in her pocket. "Thanks Weevil."

He frowned, but nodded, "Yeah, anytime, V."


	29. Chapter 29

He was in the courtyard when he saw Veronica and her friend Wallace. She still wasn't talking to him. Not that he blamed her, his plan had been to get her something for her investigation. Not make her bail him out of jail and then give it to her. Now she seemed more interested than ever in that Echolls fuck. He even saw the Echolls driver pick up her Le Baron from his uncle's shop.

He noticed Carmen, a girl from his neighborhood that he used to crush on in middle school, wrapped up in her rich 09er boyfriend's arms. Why did all the girls he liked go after guys like that? "It's a shame," he said to Hector, as he neared Veronica, "Neighborhood girl like that wasting her assets on an 09er." Veronica stiffened, and their eyes met briefly before she hurried to other way. So he was right about her and Echolls.

Eli tried to forget about Veronica, and when a crude video of Carmen was released he went to work on making someone pay. It wasn't long before he tracked down the smarmy creep, Tad. He was walking down the boardwalk alone when he saw him, and Hector and Eli wasted no time grabbing him and throwing him into the back of the van Norris was driving behind them.

They got him to the abandoned warehouse, that the PCH conducted most of their business, "I didn't do anything, man!" The kid screamed when they ungagged him, tying him into a chair. Eli just nodded, before opening Hector's phone and pulling up the video, and holding it in front of his face. "That little bitch! She couldn't do anything, so she got you to do her fucking dirty work."

"Calling Camren a bitch, ain't gonna help." Hector told him blankly.

"I wasn't talking about Camren." Tad spat, "I'm talking about Veronica." The room went silent, and all the PCHers were watching, waiting for Eli's reaction.

"You know Veronica?" Eli asked, his voice calm and relaxed, and everyone but Tad knew it was a trap.

"Who doesn't know that whore," He spat.

"You shouldn't have said that." Norris almost laughed at the grin that spread across Eli's face.

"Hey Hector," Eli directed, "Go get my kit. I think this kid needs some new ink."

The next morning Eli and the PCHers were watching Tad hang from the flag pole when Veronica walked up. He groaned as he watched her approach him, her knife in hand. Of course she'd cut him down. He shook his head preparing to leave when he heard, "Holy Shit, Weevs!" Hector exclaimed, and when he turned to look at Veronica, instead of cutting him down she was pointing the knife at his face.

Eli started heading over almost immediately, confused by the blondes actions. She was saying something that he couldn't hear. "I don't remember!" Tad shouted at her.

"NO!" She nearly screamed back, stopping Eli and the rest of the PCHers in their tracks. "I don't remember! Camren doesn't remember! But you do, now tell me who the FUCK sold it to you." She was shaking with rage and Tad looked scared.

"Logan Echolls, okay!" He responded, "I got it from Logan! Now cut me down." He nearly demanded. Veronica looked as if someone had hit her in the gut, and she closed her knife.

"Where would be the fun in that?" She asked, before ripping off the bandage of his new tattoo and slapping the skin hard. "See you around, Tad." Eli watched her walk away, and he glanced over at Hector who looked even more confused.

"What was she talking about?" Eli demanded, storming over to Tad, who went white in the face.

"N-nothing, man." Eli's eyes narrowed.

"Let's try this again, shall we," Eli warned, standing on the podium where the kid was taped and getting into his face. "What was V talking about?" Tad's eyes glanced around nervously, "The longer you wait, the more pissed I get."

"Listen man, I only got it for Carmen." Tad said quickly, "I just thought she needed to loosen up. I never touched Veronica, I didn't even know she was at Shelly's party last year!" Shelly Pomroy's party. Eli thought back on to why that sounded familiar, and the picture of Veronica in her dirty white dress came to mind.

"What." Eli growled, "Was. She. Talking. About." Putting a hand on his throat and squeezing a little more with each word.

"She wanted to know where I got the GHB from." He said gasped quickly and for a minute Eli couldn't breathe, even though it was Tad he who's air supply was being limited. GHB? The date rape drug?

"You dosed Carmen?" Hector snapped, "That how you got that video?"

At Tad's nod as Eli dropped his grip and asked, "Why does Veronica want to know where the GHB came from?" Please don't be for that reason, he thought, anything but that.

"She claims someone raped her." The way he said it made Eli boil over with rage, claimed…as if he thought she was lying. Eli's hand clenched into fists. He knew something bad had happened to her when they met, he knew it was a reportable offense even if Lamb had laughed her out of the office. Eli's rage intensified as he thought of the way Veronica had ran out of Lamb's office the day they met. He had sworn to find out what had happened, to get her vengeance…but he had let it go all those months ago.

"Get him down." Eli snapped.

"You gonna let him go after that?" Hector asked with disbelief.

"Fuck no," Elli swore, "I just don't feel like this punishment fits the crime anymore."

"Well what do you want to do with him now" Eli thought for a minute and then smirked.

"Go get me a popsicle."

Wallace ran after Veronica in the hallway after she walked out of journalism, "Did you see the video—"

"If you are talking about Camren being humiliated virally—"

"No!" Wallace all but laughed, "I'm talking about the…remake." Veronica looked up at him with a skeptical look as Wallace pulled at his phone pushed a few buttons and handed it to her.

There on the screen was Tad, stripped to his boxers sucking on a popsicle vulgarly, blue staining his mouth, while a familiar group of laughter was heard off screen.

"_Come on, puta, like you mean it." _She heard someone shout and then suddenly another popsicle flew and hit Tad in the face, making him stop his disturbing imitation of Camren's video. _"Don't worry nobody's gonna see this."_ She remembered that's what Tad had said in Camren's video and the group laughter sounded again the video ended.

She couldn't help but laugh, it was the perfect pay back. When she handed back his phone she turned to head back down the hall and caught the eye of a certain handsome Latino that she had been avoiding as much as possible. He raised a questioning eyebrow, as if wondering if she approved of what he had done to Tad. She found herself giving him a small nod, before walking off in the opposite direction. As much as she just wanted to go to him, demand an apology she was stubborn, and she had more important things to do.


	30. Chapter 30

Eli didn't know what to do. Veronica was still avoiding him and he didn't want their first conversation to be 'hey I know you were raped'. Instead, he had everyone watch her. He knew everywhere she went, and everyone she talked to. Duncan Kane was back in town, or so he was told Duncan had yet to actually show up to school, but he was the last person Eli was worried about at the moment. Logan Echolls was suspect number one in a far more important investigation: who raped Veronica. So when he saw her nearly running from Echolls in the parking lot, while he called after her, Eli felt the need to intervene.

"You know when they run like that, it means they're not interested." He spat, pushing Echolls back roughly.

"This isn't your problem." Logan said, in that monotone voice that really grated Eli's nerves.

"If it concerns V, then it's my problem." Eli informed him, "Don't think I'm gonna stand by and let you put a hand on her like you did Lily." Logan's eyes widened for a split second before becoming void once again.

"Don't you say her name." Logan warned, grabbing Eli's jacket.

"Who Lily? She kind of liked it when I said her name, she sure loved to moan mine." Logan looked ready to punch him when he looked over Eli's shoulder, "Well at least I'm not the only one Veronica's running from now." Eli turned around quick enough to see the heartbroken look spread across her face and her disappear down the hall. She had heard him.

"Just stay away from her, man." Eli hissed after slamming him against the bus they were standing near, "I'm not gonna let you hurt her."

"You don't know anything about me man." Logan spat.

"I know you gave GHB to some dude who drugged and videotaped his girlfriend last year." Eli spat making Logan's jaw drop slightly, "And if I find out you did anything to V, they won't be able to find anything left of you when I'm done." He let him go, before walking away and sending at text for Norris to watch Veronica.

So when Norris approached him, a grim look on his face, he immediately demanded, "What happened?"

"She's got a message for you." He said, "And you ain't gonna like it." Eli quirked an eyebrow, "Said if she catches another PCHer following her she's gonna take a taser to your balls."

"How'd she see you?" Eli demanded.

Norris shrugged, "Might have punched Dick Casablancas."

"Why would you be punching Dick Casablancas."

"Why wouldn't I?" Norris asked, and it was a fair question, but it wasn't the reason. "Listen, man." Norris started, "I've been following that girl all day and I've heard some pretty heavy shit, shit that just ain't my place to tell you. You know? I really don't blame her for freaking out on me when she found out I was listening." Norris shrugged, "I will tell you she left with Logan, and he wasn't the one who…"

"You know who did?!" Eli snapped, standing ready to demand a name.

Norris glared, "No, man. You think I'd be talking right now if I knew who did that?" It would be the last thing he'd be doing, that Eli knew. Norris was fiercely protective of Veronica, and even more so since she had exposed Ben as a psycho undercover cop and gotten him released from federal lock up. He would have already had the bastard's blood splatted on his clothes and smeared on his knuckles. "But I did hear that Logan had already left before she was…hurt, he ain't innocent but he didn't do _that_." No one had been able to actually say the offense, as if saying it made it more real.

Later that night he laid in bed, his mind racing with horrid thoughts and scenarios of faceless 09ers violating his Veronica. He couldn't sleep he couldn't eat all he could think about was hurting whoever dared touch her the night before they met. And then he started thinking that it really shouldn't have taken him this long to figure it out. He should have known from the beginning. Ever since he saw her walk into that Sheriff's office over a year ago.

He got up pacing his room, all the signs had been there. He had just been too blind to see. From the way she held herself that morning, wrapped in his leather jacket, to the rumors the next Monday. The rumors…what if there were truth to some of them, on a nonconsensual level. His hand clenched to fists as he thought of every foul rumor he had heard about her, and suddenly one found his way into the plaster of his wall.

"Mijo?" His abuela opened his door as he removed his fist from the wall blood dripping from his knuckles, "What is wrong Elias?" He didn't answer, instead clenched his jaw and noticed the 'look' she was giving him. The one he had told Veronica about, the one that made him realize how violent and angry he really was. How in control of it he wasn't. Like when he punched Felix and said those things to Veronica. "Is this about Veronica?" Elli rubbed his uninjured hand over his shaven head, "Did she do something?"

"Someone hurt her." He managed to get out.

"Is she okay?" His abuela demanded, clearly alarmed at the thought of anyone hurting the young blonde.

"I don't know," He told her honestly, "It happened a while ago, I just found out." She nodded almost knowingly.

"You should be with her." She told him.

"She's with someone else." He replied, immediately thinking of Echolls smug face.

"You keep making excuses, you'll never get her back." She sighed, before leaving him to his own thoughts.

Not five minutes later his phone vibrated and he grabbed it, hoping it was Hector or Norris, hell even Thumper, someone to get him out of his house. The name that popped up on the screen however was a surprise.

"V?" He answered immediately.

"Eli?" Her voice was shaky and it sound like she was crying, he noticed as he began to slide on his jacket and search for his keys. "I-I need a favor."

"Anything you need, V." He told her.

"Come get me?" Her voice cracked, and he was headed out of his bedroom and past his abuela.

"Where are you?" He demanded.

There was a brief pause and he heard her sniffling on the other line, "I'm at Logan's".


	31. Chapter 31

As soon as he pulled up she all but ran to him, "You okay?" He demanded, as he took off his helmet and handed it to her.

"Thanks for coming to get me." She was all she said, before putting on the helmet and climbing on the back of his bike not letting him ask any further questions. He would have relished in the way she clung her arms around him if he hadn't been so worried. He took off, originally heading for her apartment, but he found himself pulling up outside his own house instead. She didn't protest, instead climbed off and handed him the helmet, before walking up his porch steps and into his house without him.

When he caught up, she was already curled up in his bed, her shoes kicked off on the floor, and his blanket to her chin. She looked so small. Eli walked over to the bedside and knelt so he was eyelevel, "You okay, V?" He asked softly, brushing a few blonde stands from her face.

"No." She told him honestly, choking back a sob. He wasted no time climbing in bed beside her and pulling her into his arms. She clung to him, wrapping her fists into the fabric of his wife beater. When she didn't speak he found himself talking.

"I know I was wrong." He told her, murmuring into her hair, and she stiffened in his arms as he continued. "The things I said…I shouldn't have…I'm so sorry, baby." His own eyes watered as she clutched onto him harder. "I know I can't make you forgive me, "he continued, "but I am sorry."

"Did Norris tell you? She asked, her voice void of emotion.

"No." He told her, "But I know…I know someone hurt you bad."

"You hurt me, Eli." She whispered.

"I was an idiot." He admitted. "I can't explain why—"

"Try!" She snapped sitting up, "Explain to me why you automatically assumed I was fucking your best friend!"

He closed his eyes, rubbing his forehead in exhaustion, "Because Lily would have." He admitted, the words sounding stupid as soon as the slipped past his lips, "I am so used to being a second choice, I couldn't…I didn't realize I was actually your first. Until after I fucked it up." He felt a warm hand on his cheek and opened his eyes to be greeted with the intense gaze of her blue ones.

"You weren't my first choice, Eli." She said and he nearly flinched before she continued, "You were my only choice. The only one I wanted."

"I'm sorry, V" He apologized yet again.

"I know." She murmured lying back down and clinging to him tight. After a moment of silence she began to speak again, and this time he didn't interrupt or ask questions he just let her talk. "Last year I went to Shelly Pomroy's party. The night…the night before we met." He tightened his hold on her, "I went to show them that they couldn't hurt me." She said bitterly, "Dick Casablancas tried to spike Madison Sinclairs drink with GHB, but she ended up spitting in it and giving it to me. She doesn't even know what she did to me."

'What did she do to you?" He murmured, after Veronica trailed off into silence, trapped deep inside her own mind.

She glanced up into his eyes, before quickly looking away, "Left me for the wolves." She said hollowly, "I don't remember anything except waking up with my underwear on the floor, but from what I've been told Dick made out with me, Madison vandalized my car, while Dick and Sean force fed me shots and I begged to go home. After I passed out, Logan turned me into a human salt lick."

"A what?" Eli growled, remembering the kid he had punched last year for saying something like that.

"They were taking body shots of me." She revealed. "Apparently Duncan got them to stop…but I guess left me alone again…" Her voice cracked, "Dick ended up carrying me into the back bedroom or found me there I don't know…" Eli's rage was almost overwhelming.

"Did he…?"

"No," she shook her head, "He tried to get his little brother Cassidy to but he wouldn't." That didn't make Dick any less dead. She stopped talking, wiping silent tears off her face.

After a moment he pressed on, "Do you know who…"

"Raped me?" She said bluntly. "No one, apparently it was consensual."

Eli stiffened, "Excuse me?" After everything she said, nothing was consensual.

"I was apparently into it—"

"And who the fuck put that idea into your head?" He demanded, "How does an unconscious body do anything consensual?"

"When Duncan saved me, Logan spiked his drink with GHB. He didn't know—"

"So Duncan raped you." Eli nearly growled.

"No, we were both into, and he was drugged too!" She excused, "He didn't realize—"

"That you were fucked up out of your mind?" He asked with disbelief, how could she defend him after everything she had just said? "He realized enough to save you from being a human salt lick, and what he forgot?"

"He told me that he came in to the back room and I was awake…"

"For how long?" He asked bitterly and she didn't answer and they held each other in silence as he plotted every way to kill the rich fuck before she interrupted his thoughts.

"I don't want you to do anything." She told him, and his anger took over.

"You can't honestly expect me to let this go." He growled nearly vibrating in rage.

"I do." She said evenly, "That's not why I told you." That stopped him, and she answered his unanswered question, "I told you because you're the only person I actually trust, after everything."

"What happened at Logan's?" He asked after another silence fell upon them, and she stiffened but didn't say a word, refusing to look at him. "V?"

"I don't want you to hate me." She whispered. And he froze, his mind thinking of everything she could mean by that.

"Why would I hate you, V?" He murmured.

"For what I almost did." She confessed the word 'almost' echoing in his mind, "I…Logan and I were getting…close."

Eli tried to ignore the way his heart burned in his chest, he couldn't blame her for going to him. He had driven her away. "You guys…"

"We didn't…"she blushed, still not looking at him. "He wanted to but I couldn't." She admitted. "He understood and he went to go get drinks instead. If he hadn't of broken the key to the liquor cabinet I wouldn't have saw it."

"Saw what?" He asked genuinely confused.

"The camera."

"What?!" Eli questioned in shock sitting up straight and making her look at him finally, her bright blue eyes filled with tears, "What camera, V?" He demanded, yet his voice was soft.

"The one pointed at the bed." Eli decided then. That Logan Echolls was a dead man.


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: Alright, this is the only time I will say this. As an epileptic I am really upset with how they portray epilepsy in this show. But, besides that flaw this is one of my favorite shows so I'm going to continue their storyline with Duncan's disability. But I would like to say as an epileptic (Not type IV if that is even real) I have never had episodes like that, I have seizures plain and simple and they weren't how this show portrayed them. They make it seem as if epilepsy is a mental disability akin to bipolar and depression. Epilepsy can involve both but it is a serious and complex disease that everyone who carries the burden shouldn't have to feel crazy. It is a physical disability within the brain not a mental disability.

Eli woke up a couple hours before Veronica, but refused to move, instead just watched her sleep in his arms. When he finally knew she was awake he found himself asking, "So, the letter in the pen…" he questioned softly, "…was it…" To him? He wanted to ask but he couldn't.

"It was from Logan." She murmured sleepily, "It ruined his alibi, he was in town the night Lily died." Eli sat up alarmed, did that mean he killed Lily? "I don't think he did it." She reassured as if reading his mind, she had a habit of doing that "The letter was all about a future with her, forgiving her for...cheating, anybody planning a murder doesn't think they're gonna live happily ever after." He nodded in agreement, wondering if the cheating had been him or someone else. As much as he would like another reason to beat Echolls into the ground, the salt lick escapade and the camera was enough.

"Duncan's the only logical suspect."

"How is Duncan logical?" He asked, not following her deductions.

"He has a form of Epilepsy that's prone to violent outbursts. He could have hurt her without even knowing." Eli thought back to the bruises he had seen on Lily. She had refused to ever answer his questions, and he had assumed it had been Echolls but now he realized maybe it never was.

"That why he flipped out on you?" He asked softly and she nodded against his chest. "Felix left me a letter." He found himself saying, causing her to look up at him.

"Did he?" She asked, almost hopeful.

"Said you helped him and his girl escape the PCH."

"Yeah." She sighed, as if he had relieved a little bit of a burden from her.

"What I don't get is who this broad is that makes her so dangerous." He admitted. He had mulled it over in his brain, and still no one made sense, Felix never was serious about girls. She bit her lip and was silent for a moment.

"Would you believe me if I told you it's safer if you didn't know?" She asked weakly.

"I figured that when you told me you didn't know where he was." He told her, "That's what I don't get. But I believe you." He promised, letting the subject go for now. He would find out the truth eventually.

There was a soft knock on the door and he heard his abuela's muffled voice though his door. "Breakfast is ready, mijo." She said, "There's plenty for Veronica too." He smiled as he watched Veronica's cheeks turn bright red, as they climbed out of his bed.

His abuela greeted the both of them with a smile, Ophelia and Julio already eating at the table. "How are you, mija?" his abuela asked Veronica, placing a hand on her cheek, "This house has been so empty without your bright smile." Eli grinned in agreement as Veronica thanked her, taking her place at the table. Eli watched as Veronica talked with Ophelia and Julio with a smile on his face, munching away on his bacon and eggs. He could get use to this.

It wasn't long before his abuela was ushering the two of them out the door for school, which he found himself excited to arrive with her on the back of his bike. He took the long way relishing the feel of her tight grip around his waist, and the feel of her head resting on his back, in between his shoulders.

He found himself falling in to old habits, walking her to class, arriving as soon as it was over and keeping Echolls away with a glare. At lunch she sat with him and no one objected, Norris and Hector actually seemed happy about it and he caught a nod from Wallace across the courtyard. Thumper every once in a while would cast unhappy glances at the sight of the leader of the PCHers with his arm draped around Veronica, but he wisely didn't speak up.

"So I have a question." Veronica later stated after pulling off his helmet and handing it to him, when he dropped her off at her apartment, next to her car.

"Yeah?" He questioned with a smirk.

"What made you think about the pen? Why'd you break in for it?" She asked. It wasn't what he had expected, but he chose to answer her honestly.

"I figured if Lily had any secrets to hide, that's where they would be." She bit her lip, mulling over the information he had given her, before her eyes brightened, "What?" He asked hesitantly not really liking the feeling he was getting from that look. The look that she was about to get herself into trouble.

"You!" She grinned, placing both her hands on either side of his face and pulling him into a kiss. She pulled away still grinning, "Are a genius!" She finished before turning to head upstairs.

"Yeah why is that?" He called after her and she just flashed him a mischievous smile before darting up the stairs to her apartment. He chose not to follow her, letting her go all Nancy Drew. Instead he chose that time to send the alert out for Echolls. Richie Rich had some karma coming his way, and Eli was happier than ever to be the one to pay him back. For supplying the GHB that made his Veronica a target for rape, for turning her into a human platter for bodyshots, and for the camera. Veronica may not let him seek revenge on Duncan Kane, but she never said anything about Logan Echolls.

The sun had nearly set when Hector finally texted him, they had found Echolls playing a balancing act on the Coranado bridge, the same bridge his mother had jumped from. As much as he wanted to kill the mother fucker, his suicide would probably devastate Veronica. So that's how he found himself racing to the bridge, not to kill the fucker, but to save his stupid ass.


	33. Chapter 33

The white boy was off his fucking rocker that much was apparent, when Eli showed up, most of his crew, including Norris, Hector, and Thumper already there standing in wait. "There he is!" Logan whooped, raising his flask out to him as he stood on the edge of the bridge, "The man who takes out my trash!" Eli ignored his jabs as he climbed off his bike and tore off his helmet, "Hey tell me what is it about my leftovers you seem to like so much?" He slurred. "First Lily now Veronica?"

"How about you get down and then we can talk." Not bothering to mention that Veronica had been his first, it didn't seem like that fact would help the situation.

"Us talk? When has that ever meant anything but trying to beat the shit out of each other." He hissed, taking another swig of his flask and pacing the edge yet again.

"Dude, unless you swing first I'm waiting until you're sober enough to feel what you have coming to you." Eli swore honestly, and Logan blinked in surprise.

"And what do I have coming to me, Weevil?" Logan hissed.

"Retribution." Eli said evenly.

"For?"

"Oh I don't know, using Veronica's unconscious body as your own salt lick for body shots?" Eli barked, causing Hector and countless other PCHers to stare at him in surprise and rage. Most had grown to respect the blonde, and had become protective of her regardless of Eli's relationship with her. "How about the fact you supplied the GHB that she was slipped that night?" Logan's shoulders slumped in what looked to be defeat, as the other PCHers got even more riled up. The only one who seemed indifferent was Thumper, but he didn't really expect any more from him than loyalty. "Or how you were trying to sleep with her and tape it." He nearly growled the last bit and Logan's eyes widened in what could have been taken as shock, but Eli knew better than to trust this weasel.

"Did she say that?"

"Which fucking part?" Eli spat.

Logan had the sense to look guilty before muttering, "I never tried to video tape her."

Eli's eyes narrowed, "Just get your ass down." He muttered, taking a step forward.

"Why so you can kill me?" Logan scoffed, he stretched raising his fingers and gesturing Eli to come forward, "Come and get me, Paco."

Irritated enough he finally stepped forward, prepared to grab the idiot and yank him to safety. At least long enough to get him to sober up so he could feel what Eli had planned for him. Except that's not how it worked, instead Logan's foot flew out and connected with Eli's face. He barely had time to register the pain as he felt his world fading into darkness. That last thing he heard was Hector shouting, "You're gonna regret that, mother fucker."

Eli's face throbbed with pain as he started to wake up. He heard people murmuring around him, and when he opened his eyes his vision filled with flashing red and blue lights. "Sir, can you hear me?" Someone asked from beside him and he pushed himself up off the ground to look up at the paramedic crouching beside him.

"What happened?" He murmured, wiping the semi-dried blood from his face, and looking around his eyes landing on the white sheet that was draped over top of something. "What is that?" He demanded.

"Sir, I need you to calm down." The paramedic tried to say but Eli was pushing his way through the small crowd of uniformed officials and grabbed the sheet before anyone could stop him. The air left Eli's lungs and he found himself dropping to his knees.

"No," He murmured, staring into the dead teens open eyes.

"Sir—"

"Who did this?" He nearly roared, "Who killed him?!" Cops tried to pull him away but he fought screaming, "Don't touch me!" He dropped back beside the corpse.

"We got a witness," Eli heard someone murmur as he continued to cry over his dead friend, but he listened regardless. "White kid threw something into the ocean, took off in a yellow X-Terra". Eli clenched his fists, not questioning where everyone else had gone or why he was left there unconscious next to a corpse. But one thing he did know. Logan Echolls killed Hector.

Eli got up slowly, "He'll pay for this, brother." He swore, pulling the sheet back over his friend and wiped the tears from his face finally let the paramedics lead him away.

When they realized he was fine, he was carted down to the station. He answered all of Deputy Sacks' questions, and there was a search sent out for Logan. He looked around, surprised at how empty it was, "Is it a cop holiday or some shit, where is everybody?"

Sacks hesitated before answering, "They're on another call."

Eli raised an eyebrow, "Someone else get murdered or something?" He asked, "Let me guess a white girl right? That's why there's more people on that case?" He remembered when Lily died and a girl from his neighborhood went missing at the same time. No one bothered finding her the little girl from the 02 while Lily's face was plastered on People's Magazine.

"Attempted murder actually." Deputy Leo's voice came from behind him and when he turned he saw him escorting a beaten and bloody resemblance of Logan towards the cell, "Sacks call a medic, Mr. Macho is refusing emergency transport and if he stops breathing…to much paperwork honestly."

Eli watched confused, had his boys beat him down after he killed Hector? Or had they chased after him, and that's why he was left on the bridge next to Hector's corpse.

"And it was a white girl, the guy tried to kill, you're right." Deputy Leo continued after locking up Logan who seemed to just slump over on the cot. "Beat her pretty good shoved her in a freezer and set it on fire." The deputy seemed to get angrier as he spoke, and Eli didn't really blame him the case he described sounded horrific.

"She live?"

Deputy Leo glared at him, "Yeah," his voice soft, "She'll live, her dad saved her he's in worse shape than her." Eli stared in confusion, it was like he was missing a big piece to a puzzle he just realized he was putting together. "So you wanna explain to me why you were getting in a gang fight instead of watching out for your girlfriend?"

"Man, leave V out of this." Eli snapped and then he head Logan speak.

"He's talking about Veronica." Eli got out of the chair heading towards the cell, stopping at the bars to glare at the semi-conscious murderer.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" He hissed, but Logan wasn't looking at him as he spoke.

"He tried to kill her, burn her alive…he knew how much I…" Logan's eyes snapped to Eli's and all Eli could see was a haunted desperate look, "He killed Lily. And when Ronnie found out he tried to..."

"Who?!" Eli roared, his body shaking at the thought of Veronica trapped in a freezer as some psycho lit it on fire.

"My dad." Logan whispered, and Eli swung around to look at the two deputies who nodded in confirmation.

"Where is she?" He asked, and when they didn't answer quick enough, "WHERE IS SHE?"

Deputy Leo gave him a glare, "Where I picked him up." He said nodding at Logan, "Her apartment."


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, went to see Joe Rogan last night and was way too out of it when I got home to post anything. So here ya go :)**

Eli sped the entire time to Veronica's place, parking where her car should have been. He raced up the stairs pounding on her door until she finally answered. His jaw dropped when he saw her, she was wearing his gym clothes she had borrowed all those months ago and normally he would have teased her, but the bruise that covered the majority of her face made him remain silent.

"I was wondering if you were going to come." She muttered, almost as if she was disappointed.

"Are you okay?" He finally asked, reaching about to touch her cheek but she backed away from his touch. "V?"

"Remember when I told you all that stuff, about GHB and Logan and Duncan and all of it?" She asked quietly and he raised a confused brow.

"Of cour-"

"So you remember the part where I didn't want you to do anything about it." Her tone harder.

"Baby…"'

"Don't!" She snapped, "While you were getting your revenge I was screaming for you to save me," Tears started to leak down her face and the words pierced through his heart. "You're always there when I need you, hell half the time you have people follow me when I don't need them." She shook her head, "And then I'm finally home and the first person to come see if I'm alright is _Logan_. His own father tried to kill me, and your friends nearly beat him unconscious but still he was here checking to see if _I_ was okay. Where were you?"

"Unconscious next to Hector's dead body, where your boy _Logan _left us." He nearly hissed, not expecting her to attack him as soon as he showed. "Did he forget to mention he killed him?"

"Logan didn't kill Hector." Veronica said.

"The hell he didn't." Eli spat, "And he's gonna get what's coming."

"That's how you got into this mess in the first place!" She shouted, "You and your stupid vengeance! That's why Hector's dead!"

"HECTOR'S DEAD BECAUSE YOUR FRIEND KILLED HIM" Eli roared, "What if it had been Felix!" He yelled, "What if was Felix that was killed, would you care then?"

Veronica's eyes narrowed, "Felix would have been dead long before this if he hadn't left." The words matter-of-fact.

"Yeah and why's that?" Eli taunted, "Oh yeah it's a secret." He wanted to stop talking, to just hold her and apologize, but his rage was taking over. Rage for the death of his friend. Rage that she could stand there and defend Echolls after everything.

"You know what!" She spat, "Even if I could tell you where he was or why he left I wouldn't."

"Yeah and why's that." He challenged, his anger already getting the best of him.

"You don't deserve to know." She hissed, "He was your best friend, and you treated him like shit at the end. Accusing him of betraying you. Do you realize how bad you hurt him? Do you even care?" Eli said nothing, "That's what I thought."

Eli glared at her, "You know something, V?" He laughed coldly, "Hector saved your boy Logan's life last night."

"Oh really?" She scoffed, wiping hair out of her face and for the first time he noticed her bandaged hands.

"Really, sure I wanted to beat the shit out of Echolls for everything he did to you, but Hector called telling me he was about to jump of the Coronado Bridge." Veronica's eyes widened, but she said nothing, "We weren't there for 'vengeance', we were there to get him down."

"And beating him was a bonus?" She said skeptically.

"Don't know." Eli shrugged, starting to walk away, "Your friend Logan kicked me in the face, and I woke up to find Hector under a sheet." He cast her one more look, "You want to think you're boy Logan's innocent, you stand by his side. Just don't expect friends in the PCH."

She didn't stop him from leaving, and he tried to ignore the pain in his chest as he got on his bike and rode away. He found his crew already at his house. "Someone want to tell me what the fuck happened?" He barked.

Thumper was the first to speak, Hector had taken charge after Eli had gone out, they had beaten Logan for hurting their leader, and then Hector had sent two groups off, one to get a car to get Eli, and the other to look for Veronica because they had heard on Echolls' radio what had happened. Norris had left to search for Veronica, but Bootsie, Thumper, and Hector stayed by Logan and Eli. Hector was searching Logan's pockets for the keys to his car when Logan pulled the knife. No one had seen it coming.

Norris nodded to him, "Veronica and her dad were already gone from the scene when we found her car, you hear anything?"

"She's fine." He shrugged, except he doubted that was true.

"Did he really light her on fire?" Norris asked softly.

Eli shrugged not wanting to think about it, "She was in a freezer, the flame never touched her." He tried to tell himself that was true but his mind went back to her bandaged hands.

"Her car looked nasty man, I'm surprised she walked away from that alone." Someone piped up and Eli was confused, no one told him about a car accident.

"What are you talking about?" He asked and Norris gave him a confused look.

"She didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"She was driving home with evidence to accuse Aaron Echolls of Lily Kane's murder." Norris said slowly, and he nodded, "He was in her back seat…"

"What?!"

"Yeah, she crashed the car and ran to a house but Echolls killed whoever was inside and beat her up before…well we didn't hear about the freezer, we just heard he lit her on fire in front of her dad." Eli mind was reeling, he hadn't heard all of that, "What did she tell you?"

"She didn't." He said gruffly, "All she said to me was that she's on Echolls side in Hector's murder." The sentence was greeted with cries and outburst of protest, "She made up her mind. I've made up mine. If she wants to be next to Logan Echolls when we make him pay, well…" He didn't finish the statement, but the PCHers knew what he meant, Veronica Mars was no longer under their protection.

"Weevil, man…" Norris started, but stopped at Eli's glare. It was settled, Veronica Mars was dead to the PCH. And nobody realized the shit-eating grin on Thumpers face.


	35. Chapter 35

Junior year had come and was gone and summer was here. But, Veronica had stayed away. She was with Logan now. He knew that much was true, hell he had read about it in US Weekly. Not to mention his abuela never failed to mention when she would see Veronica at the Echolls mansion. Echolls got off on Hector's murder, the entire time holding Veronica's hand. No justice was served, at least not yet.

Life had become routine, work at the garage during the day, while wreaking havoc at night. It wasn't until half way through July until they spoke again. He hadn't been expecting it, and it had been right after _someone_ had lit the public pools on fire, when he pulled up to his house to find her car parked out front.

He had seen her car when Angel had it towed in all those months ago. He had winced at the damage, imagining Veronica's terrified body in side, next to a murderer. They had made it better than new. Uncle Angel had even replaced parts that weren't bad without telling the Mars'. "Girl shouldn't have to be worrying about shit like her brake pads," His uncle had muttered when Eli had questioned him one day, giving him a glare. His abuela and uncle had not been pleased to hear that Veronica was again out of the picture. They had no doubt it was his fault.

"What are you doing here?" He asked snidely, "Your boyfriend know you're here?"

She didn't look at him, and he couldn't even see her face as she stared in her lap, perched on his front stoop. "You know, I figured you were mad at me, hell I figured you even hated me, but I never thought you would…" She stopped talking and he didn't know what she was talking about or how to respond.

"You expect us to be peaches and cream, V?" He asked exasperated, "You stand close enough to a target sooner or later you're gonna get hit." She reeled back from the words as if they had been a bullet themselves.

"And here I had been hoping it was a mistake." She muttered standing and trying to walk past him but he caught her arm, trying to ignore the feel of her scared flesh underneath his fingers. The flame had touched her that night, marking her hands with pink splotchy scars. It was barely noticeable, but in his hand they were very real.

"What was a mistake?" He demanded, "That Hector died, or that the PCH saved Logan?" The look in her eyes made him stop. The usually bright blue orbs were dark and dismal, "…V?" he found his tone softening but she ripped her arm from his grasp. Something had happened, something bad, he could tell by the way she held herself.

"You know I get it." She said, "I chose Logan over you, which makes me as bad as him right? In your eyes if he's a murderer then I'm a murderer? When you string him up, they'll be a noose for me too right?" She chuckled darkly.

"What are you talking about, V?" He sighed, she had to know he would never hurt her.

"So did you know I was in the car making out with him?" She asked, and he flinched, he didn't need to know about her and Echolls. "Did you know what we were about to do, is that why you did it?"

"I don't want to hear this shit, Veronica." He hissed going to walk by her but the next sentence that flew from her lips stopped him.

"Next time you try to kill us, aim better. You missed my face by a couple inches this time." She told him, going to walk away.

He grabbed her again and spun her to face him, "Excuse me?" He snapped, and she glared at him, before her look softened and suddenly she laughed hollowly, "You wanna tell me what's so funny?"

"Sorry, I just thought you were still in charge." She chuckled, and he found his grip tightening around her arms, only to let go when he felt her squirm in his grasp.

"You got something you want to say to me, little girl?" He nearly growled, not about to let her get away with disrespecting his title, but not daring to touch her again afraid his control on his anger was slipping. "Nothing happens in the PCH without my say so."

She stared at him for a minute, "So you ordered someone to put a bullet through Logan's car when I was in the backseat." Eli froze, his jaw dropping slightly, someone had shot at her? "That's what I thought" He didn't stop her from leaving that time.

It was a few days later he found himself asking Norris to go check up on her. He was the only PCHer who was still loyal to Veronica regardless. And once he heard about the gunshot blast through Logan's car, Norris had no problem posting himself outside her apartment to make sure no other retaliations (from the PCH or whoever else Logan had managed to piss off, because guns weren't the PCHers style) happened near her. It was later that night when his phone went off, "What?" He asked, he had told Norris to hit him up if something had happened, he hadn't expected a phone call so fast.

"So, Sheriff Mars is an interesting dude." Norris greeted him, but before Eli could respond Norris kept talking. "Good news is your girl is single again." Eli frowned, somehow he didn't think Veronica would agree with him and braced himself for the bad news, "Bad news…Veronica is kind of mad at me for breaking into her house."

Eli blinked, wondering if he had heard correctly. "You did what?"

"I was sitting on the stairs smoking a cigarette and I heard Echolls screaming at her and shit crashing around." Norris explained as Eli clenched his jaw, "So I kind of let myself in to make sure she was okay…"

"Was she?" Echolls was a dead man if he put a hand on her.

"Yeah, the Sheriff had Echolls slammed against the wall telling him to never come back by the time I got in the door." Norris kind of chuckled, "He's surprisingly not mad at me."

"What did you tell him when you stormed into his house?" Eli asked in disbelief.

"That I was coming to check on V and heard the crash. He seemed kind of happy you still have people checking up on her. Says 'Hey', by the way." Now Eli was really confused.

"You told him I was sending people to check up on her?" The last thing he needed was the Sheriff thinking he was a stalker.

"No. When I walked in Echolls said something like 'Paco sent one of his minions to save the day again', and V said something like 'Really? Eli didn't mention I already have a guard dog?'" Eli? Had she said Eli or Weevil because one meant she hated him less than before. He wanted to ask, but it wasn't a question that his reputation could handle at the moment. Maybe if Felix had been around…he shook his head at the thought, he didn't need to think about his old best friend. "But hey man, she's not dating the prick anymore." And that was a small silver lining in the dark cloud surrounding Neptune.


	36. Chapter 36

Eli had heard that right after Echolls was out of Veronica's love life Duncan Kane dumped Meg Manning to try to get back with Veronica. He was furious at the idea, wanting to pound the fuck for daring to ask her, after everything he had done. He heard from Norris that it turned out Veronica and Duncan weren't siblings, but Duncan hadn't known that when he touched Veronica in that back room at Shelly's, which makes him even sicker. Even if Veronica didn't see him as a rapist, Eli did. Eli didn't let it show but he was elated to hear she had turned him down.

No one had owned up to shooting Echolls car, but he had a feeling it was Thumper. He had seemed over enthused lately to make Echolls pay for Hector's death. Not that Eli didn't want vengeance, he was just less gun-ho about the situation.

When he heard Veronica was going on a field trip with the 09ers, he made one of his crew, Cervando, sign up on it to keep an eye on her. He didn't want to advertise that he was protecting her again, but if she got caught in retaliation against Logan he'd never be able to forgive himself. Even after that, he found himself tailing the bus on his bike.

They stopped at a gas station on the way back, and he found himself parked on the side of the gas station just out of sight when she found him, almost as if she had known he was there.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded, and he just shrugged. "Should have known you were following me."

"Yeah, why's that?" He asked.

"Cervando hates baseball." She smirked and he chuckled at that, it was true Cervando's dad had forced him into Little League as a kid, and he hated it ever since. Cervando had bitched the entire time, he signed up but said he wouldn't leave Veronica alone which Eli was thankful for. It was hard enough to get him on the trip, since just last week he had nearly killed Cassidy Casablancas in the hallway. Eli didn't know what Dick's little brother had said to infuriate Cervando to the point that he had launched himself at the shy Casablancas, but Cervando wouldn't say anything except muttering something about him 'being a twisted little fuck'. Between that and mouthing off about the Fitzpatrick's, he was safer on the bus regardless.

Her teacher called for everyone to get on the bus and she turned to walk away. He watched her cast a glance over her shoulder at him before heading into the bus. She was already on it when he found himself walking over. He ignored the teachers protest as he walked on and walked to where Veronica was sitting.

"What are you doing?" She asked, as the teacher kept calling for him to get off the bus.

"Let me give you a ride home." He couldn't figure out why but he didn't want her on the bus. Cervando was giving him a confused glance and he nodded to him before turning back to Veronica. "Come on."

"I've got a ride." She said stubbornly. And he climbed in the seat in front of her, making her stare directly into his eyes. "You can go now."

"V," He said softly, and she frowned slightly before looking away, "Please let me just take you home."

"Why?" She asked, her voice in defeat. "What good can come of it?"

"Come with me and find out." He held out his hand, and nearly sighed with relief as she took it following him off the bus.

He led her over to his bike, and both of them watched the bus drive away. "This doesn't mean I've forgiven you yet." She told him with a huff, accepting the helmet as he climbed on his bike.

"That's okay, I'm not sure I've forgiven you yet, either." He told her honestly. The fact that she still stood by Echolls for Hector's murder, even after their break up, still infuriated him.

She bit her lip before shrugging, "Well then I guess it's a good thing neither of us apologized." And with that she put on the helmet, and climbed on the bike behind him. He turned on the bike and felt her awkwardly place her hands on his sides, keeping distance between them. He frowned grabbing her wrists and yanking her forward so she was flush up against him and wrapped her arms around his waist holding them there until he felt her relax. He took off, and for a split second he thought maybe everything would be okay. Maybe they'd go to his house and they'd talk, and his abuela would cook for them and then everything would be okay. But this was Neptune.

They had only gotten a couple miles when Eli saw the smoke in the air and a limo on the side of the road. He lifted his sunglasses to get a better look, as people ran from the limo to the edge of the cliff.

"What the hell." He muttered, when he noticed no damage to the limo, the smoke was coming from something else, but there wasn't another car in sight.

When he pulled over Veronica launched herself off the back of the bike and towards the people, "They're all dead! All of them are dead!" He heard one girl cry as he followed after Veronica noticing the broken guard rail, someone had driven off the road. He watched her face pale as she looked over the edge and she looked at him before he could see what she saw.

"You…" She mumbled, walking up to him and he pulled her into his arms instinctively, "You…"

"I what, V?" He murmured.

"You saved me." She whispered, clinging to him, and he finally looked over the edge. There sinking in the water was the bus. The bus Cervando was on. The bus he had just talked Veronica into walking off.


	37. Chapter 37

If Eli had thought saving Veronica from the bus crash would bring them together, he was mistaken. If possible the crash had caused an even further rift in their relationship. Half the PCHers were happy to hear she had survived, while the others blamed her (and some even blamed Eli) for Cervando's death. No one on the bus had survived, besides Veronica the only ones to survive the crash were the 09ers who had chosen a limo over the bus. Apparently, Veronica had been invited to ride in the limo by Duncan, but turned him down. Meg Manning took her spot, and apparently Duncan and Meg were the IT couple again.

"They hate me." She said one day, as they were sitting on his front stoop, almost a week after the crash. It had been a rough week, and Veronica had been pulling away, from him and from everyone, so he was surprised when he had come home from work to find her in his kitchen talking to his abuela. He had no idea what they were, some days he felt like she was his again and then others it was clear she wasn't.

"Who?" He asked softly, sitting behind her on the steps, a leg on both side of her as she leaned back against him.

"Everyone." She shrugged, "They think I should have died on that bus."

"Well, it wasn't your time to go yet." He said holding her tighter, not wanting to think of what would have happened if she hadn't gotten off the bus with him.

"What if it was?" She murmured and he stiffened.

"What do you mean by that?" He nearly demanded.

She shrugged again, "Sometimes I think I get lucky too often…first Aaron now this…" He didn't know what to say, it was true she was lucky. "It wasn't an accident."

Eli arched an eyebrow, "Suicide usually isn't—" he started to say.

"The bus driver didn't kill himself." She told him.

"And you know this because?" This was the first time he had heard this theory, everyone knew that the bus driver drove off the cliff taking all the kids out with him. Murder-Suicide plain and simple.

"Because he was planning to run away with his mistress after work that day." She revealed and he wondered where that fact had come from, at his confused look she elaborated, "His daughter hired me to prove he didn't kill himself. Insurance doesn't pay if—"

He nodded, remembering when Ophelia's father had killed himself, voiding the 25,000 dollar life insurance policy. Leaving Ophelia and her mother with no one and nothing. That had been before Julio's father came in to the picture, who cleared them out of everything else they had. To Eli, suicide was the coward's way out. "So what do you think happened?"

"There was an explosion." At his skeptical look she went into detail how she had listened to a voice mail from one of the victims, where you can hear a BOOM before the crash had even happened. "All the 09ers were safe and sound on the limo because they thought the bus smelled, once they were off whoever made the explosion caused the crash…"

"So you think it was what?" He asked, trying to wrap his head around her theories, "An 09er conspiracy to reduce the 02er population?" She shrugged obviously not wanting to voice another theory, "Just because the 09ers got into a limo doesn't mean they weren't supposed to be on the bus too. How would whoever know they would be off and the poor kids on?" It just didn't add up.

"Someone nailed a dead rat to the bottom of a seat." She said blandly, "Anyone with a nose and the means were getting off the bus." A rat? That was a signature threat. When someone is accused of snitching or any punishable offense in the eyes of the MC, in the PCH they wake up to a dead rat nailed to the door. It was a message: that you were next.

"Who told you that?" He asked, "Are you sure?"

"My dad found it," she told him, "I'm positive, why?"

"Cervando." He murmured. "He was in deep with the Fitzpatricks."

"You're in bed with the Fitzpatricks!" She nearly shouted, getting up and turning to stare down on him.

"Now did I say that?" He asked, looking around to make sure no one was listening, "Cervando ripped them off. For 3,000."

"You think they—"

"It's not really their style," He admitted, "They're more likely to take care of business in a dark alley with a baseball bat. You'd have to really piss them off for them to do something with that much collateral damage." But what other reason would there be?

Veronica seemed deep in thought, and then she paled. "Of course…"

"Of course what?" He demanded, when she didn't respond.

"It was for me."

"What?!" He nearly barked, standing, "What are you talking about."

"The Fitzpatricks, they—" She stopped talking, eyes widening as she stared at him, like she just realized who she was talking to or what she was saying.

"They what?" He snapped, "What do you know of the Fitzpatricks?"

"Nothing." She said quickly, "Nothing, I got to go."

She bolted like someone was chasing her, and he finally got a sentence out as she reached her car, "V! Come back here!" She ignored him, climbing into her car and speeding away.

He stood there astonished, not sure what to make of the string of events. He was about to turn inside when his phone vibrated. Hoping it was Veronica with an explanation, he answered "Yeah?"

"I've got some information for you." The voice was unfamiliar and he didn't recognize the number.

"Who is this?" He demanded.

"The bus wasn't an accident." Eli froze, letting whoever continue, "Curly Moran blew up the bus."

"Why?" He found himself asking.

"Because Aaron Echolls told him to kill your girlfriend." The line went dead and Eli couldn't move. Veronica had been right, the crash was for her. Aaron fucking Echolls was trying to kill Veronica again. And he had someone named Curly Moran to track down.


	38. Chapter 38

Curly Moran was a dead end. Eli and Norris had beaten him for information, and got nothing in return except a blubbering middle aged man. He was about to say something when a car started honking at them and the PCHers fled the scene. Eli had planned on following up with Curly, but the next day on the news they reported that his body had washed up on the shore.

Eli never planned on telling Veronica about his interrogation with Curly, based solely on the fact that it would make him and Norris that last people to see him alive. However he didn't have to worry about it, because Veronica was mad at him for something else.

"So did you get your shipment in?" She snapped, coming up beside him and the rest of his crew. He looked at her confused, not in the mood for a round of let's accuse Eli.

"What?"

"See that's what I said, when some little rich boy came up to me and asked me if my _old man_ had gotten his eight ball in." Eli's eyes widened, "You guys are selling drugs now?" Eli led her away from the group, before she had the chance to yell at him any more in front of the guys. He had an image to uphold, and being yelled at by a little white chick didn't help. "Well, what do you have to say about that?"

Eli glared at her, "I say keep your fucking voice down." Her eyes widening in surprise, "Now first if you're gonna come at me with accusations like that you don't do it with a fucking audience." She had the sense to look slightly ashamed, "We don't sell drugs, never have."

"Someone is." She said firmly. "And until you figure out who it is, I can't be a part of—"

"Of what?" He snapped, knowing where this was heading. She was breaking up with him, and they hadn't even gotten back together. Hadn't even talked about it, just always seemed to be in eachother's company. Hell she hadn't even kissed him since the day before Hector died. "You're not a part of anything, V. For that you'd actually have to choose a side instead of sitting on that fucking fence you seem to like so much."

She blinked at him, "Well don't hold back, Weevil." She said, "Tell me what you really think."

Eli's body shook with rage, and he knew whatever was about to come out of his mouth would be devastating to whatever progress they had made, but it was too late, "Okay _Ronnie_, I think that you shouldn't have coddled Hector's murderer. I feel like you should have been just a little appreciative that we saved Echolls life instead of blaming my 'vengeance' for Hector's death. And I think maybe you should go back to your old toys, because I'm personally getting tired of getting played with and then shelved."

Veronica didn't say anything, but stared at him for a minute. He didn't say anything to stop her as she sighed sadly, and walked the opposite way. And just like that, they were back on the outs. "Should have waited til Echolls got here." Norris said from behind him.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" He muttered.

"If you want V to run to him so bad, wait til he's around when you say shit like that." Norris didn't wait for a response, before walking after Veronica. Eli joined the rest of the crew, who were wisely talking about things like cars and bikes, not Eli or his girl drama.

It was three days later when he ran into Veronica in the hall again and he had yet to cool down. By her snarky quips, she hadn't either, "What's with the hoops, Vato, if I rub your head do I get three wishes."

"You do that, you might want to make seeing tomorrow your first wish." He spat, ignoring the glare Norris sent him. Veronica looked like he had hit her, and he tried to ignore the guilt riding up in his chest, "You need a minute?" She had to know he would never actually hurt her.

"Where's that disco ball you normally wear?" She demanded randomly, why she cared about his earrings he had no clue.

"I don't know, it's probably in some girl's shag carpet." She frowned slightly, and he wondered if she knew how much of a lie that was, he hadn't been with a girl since the summer, and that was when she and Logan were doing there fling.

"Or it's in an evidence bag down at the Sheriff's station." It was where? Eli suddenly remembered Curly Moran grabbing onto his piercing while him and Norris beat him, he had barely felt it pull out and forgot about it soon after. He nodded for the others to walk away and she continued to talk, "So you wanna tell me why your earing was found on the body that washed up on shore with my name on him."

"What?" Eli asked, he had her name on him? Was Curly planning on hunting her down when the PCHers had found him.

"Guys body washes up on shore, has my name written on his one hand your earing in the other, now explain." She hissed.

"He was alive last time we saw him." He admitted.

"What did he do to piss you off so bad?" She asked.

"I got a phone call from someone, saying that Curly planted the bomb…for Aaron Echolls, I went to talk to him about it." He didn't like the way she paled at the revelation that Aaron Echolls might have been behind the bus crash.

"Did he say anything useful?" She asked, and he was shocked she hadn't lectured him about his interrogation skills.

"No, someone stopped us before I could get him talking." It was obvious that their conversation was done now. He had told her what she needed to know, and she would no doubt run off in the opposite direction. He turned to leave when her voice stopped him.

"It was because of me." She whispered. "They all died because of me." Before he could turn back around she was halfway down the hall, leaving him to stand there, guilt gnawing at his stomach.


	39. Chapter 39

A/N: Thank you guys so much for your reviews. I know some of you are wanting to strangle me for the together/not together drama between V and Eli but hang in there!

Wallace Fennel had left Neptune. He had heard it from Norris first, but he hadn't believed it until he saw Veronica in the courtyard stabbing at her food sadly. She was alone once more. Well not exactly alone, she had Logan Echolls at her side the majority of the time. Even after the anonymous witness had stepped forward, and when Logan made bail, she still claimed his innocence. They hadn't gotten back together yet, and his abuela mentioned that she never went to his house anymore.

However that wasn't the juiciest gossip in Neptune. Nope, the fact that Duncan Kane knocked up the little miss perfect Meg Manning, now that was news. She reminded him of Veronica, before Duncan had…. He had thought it was funny at first, the two 09ers getting themselves into trouble. That was until he ran into the Meg outside of school. The sight of Meg sitting on the side walk in a pink maternity dress and tears running down her cheeks, reminded him so much of Veronica in the dirty white dress.

"You okay?" He asked hesitantly, and was shocked when she looked up and he saw the faint bruise on her cheek. "Did Kane do that to you?" He demanded, remembering what Veronica had said to him about Duncan's epilepsy and remembering the unexplained bruises on Lily.

"What?" She asked, looking genuinely confused, then she touched her hand to her cheek, "Of course not." She sniffled, and Eli debated on what to do, and found himself sitting next to her on the curb. "What are you doing?" She asked weakly, wiping at her face.

"Waiting for you to tell me who gave you the black eye." He shrugged, glancing around. Kane hadn't been in school today, or at least he wasn't in third block. Maybe he was ashamed, hiding his face in case someone asked questions.

"It's not that big of deal." She muttered.

"Yeah well, we both know that's not true." He told her, "Listen, quicker you tell me the quicker I can teach whoever to keep their hands to themselves." She looked at him with confusion.

"Thanks for your concern, but it's really none of your business." She muttered.

He laughed at that, causing her to look at him with even more confusion, "You're right, it's not." He nodded, "But you see, I know this obnoxious blonde who would take a taser to my ass if she found out I just walked by without trying to help." The statement earned him a small laugh so he continued, "So, come on let me take care of the fool who did that."

"My dad would have you thrown in jail before you even—", She started to say, but then her eyes widened, and she looked at him like she couldn't believe what she had just said, and he knew his expression probably mirrored hers. The Manning's were a well-known religious family, and the picture of perfection. She couldn't possibly mean her father did this to her. "I've got to go…"

"Where? Home?" He asked her pointedly, and when she wouldn't answer him he continued speaking, "You know I know this pesky blonde that's rather fond of helping people." She glanced at him and then back at the ground, "Just so happens I was on my way to Java Hut." It was a lie. Ever since he learned that Veronica had gotten a job there he had avoided it like the plague. "They have these milkshakes that I love, you wanna come with me?"

That's how he found himself riding to Java Hut, with Meg Manning driving behind him. To say he got a few odd looks, leading her inside and to a table in the back, was being mild. He wasn't doing her reputation any favors. Veronica spotted them from across the room, and cast him a curious glance. He nodded her over, and wasn't surprised that she walked over almost immediately.

"What's going on, guys?" She asked, and when Meg wouldn't look up Eli spoke up.

"Meg here is having a bad day, so I figured what cures the blues better than chocolate." He shrugged, gaining an even stranger look from Veronica. "Can we get some milk shakes?"

"Uh yeah…" She said hesitantly, "Where's Duncan at Meg?" She asked as nonchalantly as possible, but Eli heard the underlying question. What was Meg doing with him? "He missed journalism."

Meg looked up and Eli had to respect Veronica's poker face, she didn't even blink at the bruise, like she wasn't remotely surprised. And then Eli realized maybe she just wasn't. "I'm sure Celeste was having a family meeting about how to get rid of me." Meg smiled humorlessly.

"Sounds like Celeste." Veronica replied sympathetically. "I'm guessing the idea of being a grandma isn't making her jump for joy."

Meg actually laughed at that, "She already tried to convince Duncan it wasn't his."

"That's rich coming from Celeste." Veronica said, sliding in, "Next time she says something about that ask her how she stole Jake Kane away from my mom in highschool." Eli and Meg both gave her curious glances, "She faked a pregnancy."

"You're just full of secrets aren't you, Veronica." Meg said shaking her head. There was a brief pause, "Do you remember when I came to you about the kid I babysit?" She asked Veronica softly.

"You mean Grace?" Veronica asked pointedly, and Meg looked astonished. "I babysat everyone you did, when you went away for Thanksgiving Break, none of their hand writing matched the notebook you gave me. So what other kid do you spend most of your time with? Easy, your sister."

"You're quite the detective." Meg said, "I need to get out of Neptune. But I can't leave her with them." Eli was missing key parts to this conversation, but sat back silently and watched Veronica attempt to save someone's day yet again.

"Where do you think you're gonna go?" Veronica asked skeptically.

"My Aunt's. I've already talked to her." She bit her lip, "Duncan doesn't know I plan on leaving." That caught both Eli and Veronica by surprised, "He's so set on everything being fine, he doesn't realize how not fine it really is."

Veronica frowned, "What do you mean?"

"I mean he's oblivious." Meg sighed, "He thinks Celeste is going to accept the fact that this is happening. He thinks my dad is overreacting when he says I should have stayed on the bus if I was going to shame them like this." Eli sat straighter at that, who the fuck says something like that to their kid?

"I'm guessing that's courtesy of dear old dad?" Veronica asked, gesturing to the eye, and at her terse nod Veronica continued, "Well he made our job easier. Give me 10 minutes and we can go talk to Lamb."

It wasn't until Veronica was ushering Meg into the passenger seat of her car that she finally looked at Eli again, "Thanks Eli." She nodded at him as she closed Meg's door and walked to the driver side.

"Anytime, V." He murmured, but she was already in her car and driving away.


	40. Chapter 40

Eli had heard through the grape vine that Meg Manning and Duncan Kane had skipped town together. Right after CPS came in and took Meg's youngest sister away and the middle one was staying with friends. He had no doubt that Veronica had helped the couple pull their Houdini act, but she kept blank face whenever someone questioned her.

He hadn't talked to Veronica since he brought Meg to see her at Java the hut, he had been distracted by club business. Originally, when Veronica had accused the PCHers of selling drugs he had shrugged it off as a wild accusation. But the more time passed, the more he heard things. Like there were certain bikers who could get you your fix, bikers that weren't following Weevil. That only meant one thing, somebody was pushing for the Fitzpatrick's. Of course, when he brought up his theory to his crew, nobody stepped forward to confess.

However, leads are a funny thing, and they can come from surprising sources. So when he went to get his tattoo done at Otto's he wasn't expecting Big Otto to hand him a stenciled drawing of a rather attractive and familiar girl.

"What's this?"

"Your buddy had me draw that but never came back for it, wanted it on his chest." He shrugged, "Figured you could give it to him."

"Buddy?"

Otto looked back at the papers in his drawer before grabbing a small thin rectangle of paper and handing it to him. "This guy," It turned out to be one of those photo strips that you pay to climb in some tiny booth and pay for four little pictures. It was the couple in the picture that surprised him.

"Felix gave this to you?" He said, his eyes not leaving the strip.

"Yeah, really thought he was serious about getting it too, but he never came back. Pretty girl, they break up or something?"

"Or something." He shrugged, exposing his neck again, letting Otto continue working on his tattoo. Felix and Molly Fitzpatrick? How the fuck did that happen?

He was walking towards his bike when he finally pulled out his phone to call Veronica. Everything was finally making sense. Why she couldn't tell him where Felix went, why being with a girl was so dangerous for him, and why Veronica paled at the mention of the Fitzpatricks. He dialed her number quickly, and wasn't happy with who answered her phone.

"Why hello, Paco." Echolls drawled on the other line.

"Let me talk to V." Eli demanded, not in the mood for the games Echolls no doubt wanted to play.

"Sorry, Ronnie's saving my ass today, you're just going to wait your turn." He told him snidely.

"Put V on the phone."

"I just dropped her off, when I pick her back up I'll make sure to tell her to call you." Dropped off? The only reason Norris wasn't tailing her today was because he had seen her go off with Echolls.

"You left her alone?" He barked, "Where is she?" Images of the bus, Hector, the Fitzpatrick's were swimming in his head. What if they knew about her? What if they knew about how she helped Liam Fitzpatrick's niece run away with a PCHer.

"Veronica's a big girl, Paco." Echolls voice sounding more unsure of himself than before, "She went to talk to some guy named Danny Boyd about the witness in Hector's case." The name Danny Boyd was ringing in his ears.

"You just dropped her off at Danny Boyd's house!?" Danny Boyd lived behind the RiverStix, and was Liam Fitzpatrick's cousin.

"You know—"

"Go get her." Eli spoke more seriously than he ever had, "Turn around and go get her now." He didn't hear an objection, just the sound of screeching tires.

"What's the deal with this Boyd guy?" Echolls asked, his tone completely changed.

"You know the Fitzparicks, they're related?" Eli said lowly, and he heard Echolls curse under his breath.

"Don't you think you should send your minions to save her then?"

"No." Eli told him, "If they don't know who she is, I'd like to keep it that way. If my boys go in to save the day, it'll end in gunfire." Eli paused, "Please tell me you got a knife or something on you?"

"I got something better than that." Echolls responded, and he heard a car door slam. He could hear someone knocking on a door, and a dog barking in the background as he paced anxiously in the parkinglot of the tattoo shop. He wished he could run to her rescue, but the sight of him and she'd be in even more danger. "I thought you said PCHers don't show up around here."

"They don't." Eli stiffened.

"I'm staring at one of your boy's bikes right now, you think he was following her?" Eli thought about it. If it was Norris, yeah, anyone else was doubtful. "It's the red one with the black spider on it." Thumper? He should have known. 

* * *

Thumper had been waiting for Liam to give him his package so he could be on his way. He didn't like being at the RiverStix any longer than he had to be, on account of the fact that half of the micks would stare at him like they wanted to be the lucky white guy to take him out. And if things couldn't get worse, Veronica Mars just walked in.

Now Thumper had a couple choices, he could wait for her to notice him and call Weevil. Or he could point her out to Liam and sneak out the back with her none the wiser. He picked the latter. "Hey you know how you're looking for Molly?" He asked Liam softly, who had been watching Danny and Veronica already. When Liam's eyes snapped to him, Thumper continued, "Felix disappeared around the same time, yeah." Liam scowled, already knowing his niece had been sleeping with the spick. "That girl over there…Felix's best friend…and Weevil's girl."

Liam looked over at her again, a smile spreading on his face. Liam reached into his pocket and handed a brown package to Thumper, "Why don't you get out of here before things get messy." Thumper didn't need to be told twice and slipped out the back. He'd have to walk around the block to get to his bike, but it was better than Veronica seeing him, and he had a few stops to make along the way anyhow now that he had his shipment in.

* * *

Eli couldn't believe what he was hearing, Thumper was at the RiverStix. That could only mean one thing, Thumper was the one dealing for the Fitzpatricks. "He ain't there to help." Eli told him, "If you see anyone besides V in there, they ain't friends."

"Imagine that." Echolls muttered, but Eli didn't respond. He heard screaming in the background followed by crashing. "Hey!" Echolls shouted, and Eli winced away from the phone, "Anyone know the address for this place, I've got the cops on the phone now." Eli had to give it to him, he was quick on his feet, "Nobody? I've got one of those tracking anklets if that helps."

Eli strained to hear, but nothing could be distinguished. More yelling and crashing entailed, and finally silence. "Echolls?" He asked after a moment, when he heard nothing, "Echolls!"

"Hey, I wouldn't if I were you." Echolls growled, and he heard someone else shout in the background. "Come on, Ronnie." There was a long silence, before Echolls finally spoke into the phone again, "I got her, I'll meet you at your house."


	41. Chapter 41

A/N: Reached 150 reviews! Thank you guys so much, and special shout outs to jaqofspades for being lucky 150 and the moderator for .com which actually introduced me to WeeVer! And also to Lorelai Candice Black for being my most frequent reviewer! Seriously girl, you have made me keep on keepin on. Thanks everyone!

Eli nearly ran to Echolls truck when it pulled up to his house. Veronica threw open the passenger and sprinted into his arms. Norris was sitting on his steps, ever since Eli had called to tell him that Echolls had just pulled Veronica out of the RiverStix he had been waiting anxiously. "You okay, chica?" He asked, but she didn't answer, just buried her face into his shoulder as her body shook. "I got you, V." He murmured into her hair, pulling her close to him. "You're safe now, querida."

Echolls was standing by his door, looking as if he wanted to say something, but didn't want to interrupt. "They know." He heard her sniffle.

"They know what?" Eli asked softly, tilting his head to hear her better. When she didn't answer, "About Felix and Molly?" Bright blue orbs suddenly made contact with his eyes as she stared at him with astonishment.

"When did you—"

"I figured it out today." He told her, "Why don't you head on inside, Abuela's in the kitchen and she's been missing your company." She nodded softly, and wiped the tears off her face. She was about to walk away, brushing her hair behind her ear when she hissed in pain.

Eli's eyes narrowed, and he caught her lightly by the arm and pulled her back to him. There right by her hair line, behind her ear was a crude shaped scrape. It looked almost as if someone had taken a tattoo needle with no ink and traced a…."Is that a fucking clover?" His voice came out in an animalistic growl. She shrugged, before moving her hair back over the offending mark and headed inside. Eli looked at Echolls, "What happened?"

"I don't know what happened before I got back there." He said slowly, "When I walked in one goon had her pinned on the pool table by her throat and he looked like he was about to tattoo something on her face." No doubt Liam Fitzpatrick, nonconsensual tattooing was a specialty of his. "They were asking her things like where's Felix and…other shit so I threatened them with the cops." Norris kind of scoffed at that, but remained silent, "They didn't really seem to care, so I pulled a gun on them and I got her out of there."

"You pulled a gun?" Eli asked skeptically, "What are you doing with a gun?"

"Protection." Echolls said dryly, "You know in case someone shoots at my car when Veronica's in it again." That brought him back to Thumper. He had no doubt now that Thumper was in deep with the Fitzpatricks. No doubt he was the one who shot at Echolls car over the summer as well. The fucker had gone rogue.

"So what does Danny Boyd have to do with you killing Hector?" Eli asked bluntly, and Echolls glared.

"He was supposed to prove that I didn't kill Hector. He proves the witness is full of shit at least." Echolls spat back, "We were hoping Boyd would have something bad to say about the witness, turns out they're best buddies. Your witness was paid off by the Fitzpatricks." It felt like someone had punched him in the gut.

"It was Thumper." Eli said, gaining looks from both Norris and Echolls. "Thumper killed Hector."

"What?" Norris questioned, he had never liked Thumper personally, but he didn't strike Norris as someone who would kill a brother. "Why would he do that?"

"That's what I plan on asking him." Eli said firmly, turning to Norris he told him, "Go round everyone up, except for Thumper. I want everyone at the warehouse by 10 tonight, got it?" Norris nodded, before walking to his bike and speeding off. Echolls went to get in his truck when Eli stopped him, "Thanks man."

"I didn't do it for you." Echolls replied.

"I know." Eli nodded, "but that girl in there is my world." He admitted, catching the attention of Echolls, "If anything had happened to her…" Echolls nodded in understanding, and Eli was thankful. "I owe you man."

"Don't think I won't collect." Echolls responded, before climbing into the obnoxious yellow vehicle and drove off. Eli walked in to find his abuela in the kitchen alone, at his raised eyebrow, his abuela nodded him in the direction of his room.

There she was, curled up in his bed sound asleep. Her hair was in her face, but he could see the streaks of dried tears on her cheeks still. He kicked off his shoes, and slid into bed next to her wrapping his arm around her as she snuggled closer into his chest.

They laid like this for a couple hours, but Eli didn't dare move. She was snoring slightly, as he watched the numbers on his clock change. His mind racing with what would happen tonight. He needed to get Bootsie away from Thumper's side long enough to hear his side of what happened on the Bridge that night. Then share what he knew about Thumper and the Fitzpatricks, the rest was up to his boys and he just prayed they would make the right decision.

It was nearly 9, which meant sooner or later he was going to have to get up. A whimper yanked him out of his thoughts, and his eyes searched Veronica's face for signs of distress. She was still fast asleep but her lips were settled into a frown. Another whimper escaped her and her face scrunched in displeasure. "V?" He murmured lightly, wondering if he should wake her.

"No." She moaned, pushing a small hand against his chest. Her feet were moving slightly, tangling in the sheets which only made her struggle more.

"V?" She whimpered again and Eli sat up straighter, "Veronica?"

"No!" It was louder this time, and he heard footsteps coming down the hall, no doubt his abuela checking to make sure everything is okay. "Let me out. Let me out!" Her hands slammed against him to the point he got up, and her tone became more distressed.

"Veronica!" His door slammed open, and his abuela and uncle stood staring at them in shock. Eli was now out of the bed, trying to wake the crying girl to no avail.

"Please!" She cried, "Eli!" He flinched at the way she cried her name.

"I'm right here, baby." He murmured into her ear as he knelt beside the bed, "I'm right here, just open your eyes." He ignored the small audience he had in his doorway his only focus the girl before him.

"Eli!" She whimpered, "Let me out!" She was gasping, like she couldn't breathe.

Eli shook her a little harder, but her arms flailed and caught him across the face. "Son of a bitch." He muttered, bringing a hand to his nose. She continued to cry about getting let out of something and then it dawned on him. She was dreaming that she was back in the fridge with Aaron Echolls. She was dreaming she was being lit on fire. _I screamed for you to save me. _ She had told him. How often did she dream of this?

"Eli!" She cried again, kicking at her sheets, and Eli did the one thing he could think of. He saved her from them. He ripped off the sheets and yanked her into his arms, carrying her across the room and sitting on Chardo's old bed.

"You're out, querida. I've got you."He murmured, and she stopped struggling, sniffling quietly. "He can't hurt you anymore. I'm here." Veronica blinked up at him blearily, "Hey there, gorgeous." He grinned.

"Eli?" She murmured in confusion, while Uncle Angel and his abuela backed out of the room to give Veronica some privacy. "What's going on?"

"You were having a bad dream." He told her softly, and as her cheeks went red he figured this wasn't a first time occurrence, "You have them a lot?"

"Only every time I close my eyes." She muttered darkly, "There's just something about being lit on fire that damages the psyche, you know?" She rubbed at the scarred skin on her hands before he took her hand in his. He brushed the puckered skin and then brought it to his lips and kissing the back of her hand lightly.

"You think you'll be okay now?" he asked softly. "I don't want to leave you alone if—"

"One per night is usually the limit." She responded, and then cast him a curious look, "Where are you going?"

"Got to meet the boys real quick." He told her, and she nodded climbing out of his arms and crawling back in his bed.

"I'll be here when you get back." She told him, and if she hadn't of just scared the shit out of him with her nightmare he would have smiled at the statement. As he turned to walk out of the room she said something again, "Thumper was there."

"What?" Eli questioned spinning back to look at her.

"I don't think he knows I saw him, but he was sitting next to Liam before…they recognized me." She bit her lip, as if she wasn't sure if she should tell the rest but at his look she did, "I think Thumper told Liam who I was. Liam kept calling me…he implied I was both yours and Felix's to share. The PCHers are the only people who ever accused me of being with Felix."

Eli took in the information, if that was true it meant not only was Thumper a traitor, but he also tried to serve Veronica to the Fitzpatricks on a silver platter. "I think he killed Hector." He told her, and she nodded as if she already figured today, "After tonight you won't have to worry about them." And she nodded at that too, leaning over to pick her bag up where it rest on the floor.

She dug through the bag and then pulled out a small rectangle of resin with a beetle preserved inside. "Here, make sure you get a confession." He raised an eyebrow, "It's a bug…electronically as well as literally." She shrugged.

"Of course it is." He laughed, dropping a kiss on the top of her head, before finally walking out his bedroom door.

His uncle caught him before he walked out the front door, "She okay?"

Eli shrugged, "She will be." His uncle nodded, "Can you stay here til I get back tonight?" His uncle only lived a couple blocks down, closer to the garage. But he didn't want to leave Veronica completely unguarded.

"Something I should be worried about?" Uncle Angel asked, crossing his arms waiting for an answer. Eli reached into his pocket and pulled out the photo strip and handed it to him. "Don't tell me that stupid son of a bitch was doing the mick chick."

"She left with him." Eli muttered, and Angel's jaw dropped, "V helped 'em. And she came face to face with Liam today." Taking the picture and tucking it back in his pocket. He hadn't figured out what to do with it yet.

"Ay Dios mio." He murmured, "He hurt her?"

"Scared her mostly I think." Eli told him, trying to reassure himself more than her, "I've got to take care of something. You'll be here when I get back?"

"Yeah." Angel nodded, "Rico's coming by to play cards soon, so he'll be here too." Rico had been Angel's right hand when he had run the PCHers. Being in the PCHers, there were only two options if you made it out of high school without getting killed or locked up. You could join a real MC, the West Coast Grimms, which Angel had done and opened the shop, and lived dirty til the day you die or get locked up. Or you…well Eli wasn't really sure what the other choice was. But it was a choice. After graduation he'd be invited in, and someone else would take his place as the head PCHer.

Eli nodded walking out the door, trying not to think too much about after graduation. After graduation, Veronica was probably going to some ivy league on the Kane scholarship. She was probably going to go places and where was he gonna go? He climbed on his bike and smirked to himself, well he knew one thing. He was going to go catch himself a rat.


	42. Chapter 42

Eli walked into the warehouse at 10:02, pleased to see that exactly everyone but Thumper was there, the bug heavy in his pocket. "Boys." He greeted, nodding at the murmurs of replies. "I called you here to tell you some unfortunate news." Everyone quieted, "You might notice a certain someone missing." Bootsie shifted and wasn't looking directly at Eli, which Eli took note of.

"Now you all know where we stand with the Fitzpatricks." His crew responded with calls of distaste, mutters of 'methheads' and 'micks', some even spitting on the ground. Bootsie shifted again, and Eli nodded at Norris, who was leaning against the far back wall, and he made his way behind Bootsie. "You all recall the certain disappearance of your former leader, my predecessor, Reaper Gus. How Ciaran Fitzpatrick was the last mother fucker to see him alive?" He had the boys' attention, and had them all riled, looking to him to continue.

"Seems our friend Thumper has forgotten that fact." The boys quieted, "Seems he decided to get all nice and cozy, and climbed right into bed with these Micks." The silence that followed his revelation was deafening, "And I'm curious on who else crawled in there with him." His eyes landed on Bootsie, and Norris took the moment to clamp a hand down his shoulder causing him to jump nearly a foot in the air. "You got something to tell me, Boots?"

The teen's eyes went wide as everyone turned their attention to him, "Thumper does his own thing man, I ain't got no part in it." He said hesitantly.

"But you knew about it, kept it to yourself?" Eli replied, walking forward, the crew parting and Norris' grip kept him Bootsie still as Eli stalked up to him. At the terse nod Eli's rage grew, "There's two ways this can go now, Bootsie." He informed him, staring him down, "You can either answer all the questions I have, and believe me I got plenty, and we can discuss your loyalty at a later date giving you time to redeem yourself, or you can refuse, or god forbid lie," the smile Eli gave Bootsie would scare anyone, "And I can deal with all loyalty issues here and now."

"What do you want to know, man?" The teen asked shakily.

"Is Thumper selling for the Fitzpatricks?"

"Yeah."

"Are you?" Eli hissed, and the kid denied the claim quickly, "How do you know then?"

"He told me, after I saw some 09er ask him for some dope." Bootsie informed him.

"What happened on the bridge the night Hector died?" Eli spat, and Bootsie looked surprised by the question and everyone else was looking on in confusion.

"What?"

"You were there, I wanna hear you tell me how Hector died."

"Echolls killed—"

"What the witness look like?"

"What?"

"You were there, he was there, what did he look like?"

"I-I don't know…" He said hesitantly.

"Why not?"

Bootsie glanced around, if it was to find a friendly face he found none. "I wasn't there."

Eli's eyes narrowed, as the crew shouted and hollered demands for answers of what and why, only silencing when Eli raised a hand, "You didn't see Echolls stab Hector?" He demanded.

"No, Thumper caught up with me later that night, told me Echolls would get away for killing Hector if there weren't more witnesses." Bootsie told him, "What does this have to do with the Fitzpatricks?"

"Who do you think bought and paid for the witness?" Eli spat. "Thumper killed Hector. Framed it on Echolls, with the help of his mick buddies." The room was out of control after that accusation, but after a sharp whistle, from Norris, Eli got the undivided attention of everyone in the room, "Now I don't know about you, but I'm ready to ask our friend Thumper a few questions?" He got a roar of approval, before he turned back to Bootsie, "Oh one more question for you," Eli said lightly, but his eyes darkened, "And if I find out you lied to me about this, you will regret it." Bootsie nodded at the warning, eyes wide, "When Thumper threw V to the Fitzpatricks today, where were you?" Bootsie's jaw dropped in shock, and Eli knew he didn't know what he was talking about, but he was waiting for an alibi.

"Something happen to Blondie?" He heard Juan question from behind him.

"She okay?" He thought that was Carlos' voice. At any other moment he would have smiled at the concern his crew showed for his girl.

"She found herself in some trouble, wound up at RiverStix." Eli informed them, "Somehow they seemed to think she's some PCH whore they can fuck with."

"They hurt her?" Bootsie asked softly, and Eli narrowed his eyes at him again.

"Tried to tattoo her face up good luckily someone stopped them before they added ink to their needles, and your buddy Thumper was seen there. So I'll ask you again," Eli growled, "Where were you today?"

"I was home, I had to babysit my brothers, man. I didn't know nothing about that I swear." He told him desperately.

Eli nodded simply before, nodding at Norris who let go of his grip on the kid's shoulder, "I want you to call Thumper, tell him we're having a meeting about me. That you've got the guys together and want to talk about getting in on selling to the 09ers behind my back." He ordered. Bootsie nodded enthusiastically, before pulling out his phone and doing exactly as told.

Eli smiled as Thumper agreed, and Bootsie hung up. Now all they had to do was wait for the rat to show up, and take care of their pest problem. Eli waited anxiously, fists clenching and unclenching, the image of Hector's dead body, Veronica's crude clover scratch marks, and Thumper's smug grin all fueling his need for revenge. The rest of the boys were just as riled, and the sound of a motorcycle pulling up quieted everyone. Eli took the moment to step into the shadows to wait for the perfect moment to pounce. He was about to get some well-deserved answers.


	43. Chapter 43

"Sup, man?" Thumper grinned at Bootsie as he walked into the warehouse, "Now who's ready to make some money, huh?" He couldn't believe how easy this was going to be. He figured it would take a little longer for Bootsie to come around, and recruit the others. He smiled at the sight of everyone except Weevil, even Norris was seeing his side of things and that was Eli's new right hand man.

It wasn't until the doors closed behind him, and he turned to see his brothers blocking any exit realization hit him and dread filled his gut. This couldn't be good. "Get him." He heard the familiar growl of Eli, but he still couldn't see him as the group pounced on him, dragging him across the room as he struggled. A fist connected with his face, making him pause in his fight. His hands were tied in front of him and he was picked up and hung on the hook that hung from the ceiling. This was not good at all.

"Thumper." Eli greeted, walking out of the shadows and to the front of the group that surrounded them. "So I had a few questions for you, man."

"This is how you plan to ask me questions?" Thumper spat, blood dribbling from his lip, he wasn't sure which of his brothers had punched him in the struggle, but he had a feeling it was Norris who was rubbing his knuckles.

Eli grinned, "No, I asked Bootsie instead." Thumper's eyes landed on his guilty looking friend.

"You son of a bitch." He hissed, only to be silenced by a punch to the stomach, courtesy of Norris.

"Now there is one thing he couldn't answer." Eli's eyes hardened. "Why did you kill Hector?"

Thumper spat, his blood hitting the floor, "Fuck you, man." Eli nodded at Norris, who took the time to use Thumper as a punching bag. One fist to the gut, another to the ribs. Suddenly his head snapped, and he choked on a tooth as another caught his eye.

When he stopped, Eli continued, "I'm sorry you were saying?" Thumper blinked painfully as he looked around, and he realized this could only end in so many ways, and alive didn't seem to be likely.

"Liam wants you away from Blondie." He replied, and he realized maybe he should have just remained silent.

"Excuse me?" Eli growled, walking up to him, "Why the fuck do they want me away from, V?"

"Because she knows where Molly and Felix are." Thumper told him, "The Fitzpatrick's have known about her for a while, but they can't touch her with you around. They want to ask her a few questions, kind of like this you know." Thumper wiggled, to emphasize the position he was in and just what the Fitzpatrick's wanted to do with Weevil's little blonde.

"What's that got to do with Hector?" Eli demanded, not liking what he was hearing.

"It was the only way to get you fighting again." He replied, "After you found out someone raped her, you had everyone tailing her and shit. So I set up Echolls, just sloppily enough for you to believe it and her to not."

"So that's why you killed Hector." Eli said incredulously, "To break me and V up?" At Thumper's terse nod, "SPEAK" he roared.

"Yes. That's why I fucking killed Hector." Thumper exclaimed, ready to take whatever was coming for him here, rather than at the hand of Liam Fitzpatrick.

The boys behind him were getting riled, asking for vengeance, "You killed a fucking brother!" Thumper said nothing, and Eli shook his head in disgust. "Lower him." Thumper stared confused as he watched Juan lower the chain.

"That's it?" He asked stupidly.

Eli shook his head, and the chain stopped moving so he was barely an inch off the ground, but he still couldn't reach or support himself. "No, I'm just done asking questions." Thumpers blood ran cold as he heard Eli's tone. "You know she saw you." Nodding at Norris who went to grab his tattoo kit, before taking the moment to punch Thumper himself.

"What are you talking about?" Thumper coughed, his body aching with pain. Eli couldn't be talking about Veronica, she should still be at RiverStix with Liam…He would have been given a heads up if she escaped, right?

"V." Eli growled, "She saw you, right before Liam grabbed her and tried to tattoo a clover on her." Thumper was a dead man and he knew it. He didn't even flinch when Eli's fist came towards his face. He welcomed the darkness, and hoped he'd stay like that until death. He knew he didn't want to be awake for what Eli had planned for him.

Thumper woke up confused and disoriented. He groaned, pushing himself off the side walk, his face stinging in pain. He was near the church, that much he knew. He patted at his pockets and noticed they were empty. All his money…all his drugs gone. He walked a few steps before the familiar green barracuda pulled up next to him.

"Is the bunny rabbit lost?" Liam chuckled and Thumper turned to him only to see the man's face go stony, "Oh you stupid son of a bitch." Thumper blinked, but before he could think Liam was out of his car and shoving him in the back seat. "How many people fucking know?" He barked and Thumper didn't know what to say, his brunette companion weirdly quiet and gaping at him.

"Know what?" Thumper questioned. The girl, Kendall maybe? Pulled out a compact and showed him. _I sell drugs for Liam Fitzpatrick_ was tattooed in thick black on his forehead. That's what stung. Not the bruises or cuts. Eli tattooed him.

"How long have you been walking around with that on your face?" Liam barked. When Thumper didn't answer Liam shook his head, "What did you tell him, huh, everything?" Thumper was a dead man. He realized this as Liam kept driving through the PCH and farther out of town. "You stupid son of a bitch." Liam swore again.

Thumper wondered how it would end, if it would end…Liam kept driving, into the middle of know where. "I…I…" What could he say, what would save him? He shrunk down into the seat, with this on his face what life could he have anyway. They pulled off on the side of the road, nothing around for miles. Liam got out and Thumper didn't even fight it as he opened the door and dragged him out. He walked him down a hill and saw a hole obviously dug already.

"This was supposed to be your buddy's, Weevil's, grave." Thumper stared at the hole, and heard a loud bang. Pain shot through his spine, radiating up and down his back as he found himself falling face forward. He couldn't move to get up, his legs not moving at all, and it hurt too bad to speak. He groaned softly, and felt something hit his back. Whatever it was kept falling, sprinkling down on his back and legs. It wasn't till it hit his face it dawned on him on what it was. Dirt. His breathing increased and the smell of dirt earth his nostrils and he could taste it in his mouth. His dying wish was that he would bleed out before he was buried alive. Unfortunately, it wasn't granted.


	44. Chapter 44

A/N: Sorry for the delay guys! I went to visit my sister in Brooklyn, and trying to do that in a day was just exhausting (10+ hours of car rides when you get lost as much as I do) . So I am behind in work, school, and this as well. But here you go :)

Thumper had been missing for two weeks and Veronica hadn't even mentioned it, which surprised and worried Eli, she wasn't that cold of a person to not think about what happened to him. She had edited the tape, so only Thumper's confession and Bootsie telling Eli about the Fitzpatrick's was audible. It wouldn't be enough to convict them, but it would at least give the cops reason to investigate. The tape was sent in anonymously, knowing Lamb would never take Veronica or Eli seriously, and shortly after the charges on Echolls were dropped and a warrant was out for Thumper.

Things started to fall back into place. He had his crew behind him again, 100 percent, and Veronica at his side. All that was missing was Felix. Eli frowned, trying not to think of his best friend. He still beat himself up over how things had been left with him and the boy he had once called brother. Veronica didn't like talking about it, and he wondered if maybe she still resented Eli for how he had acted towards him in the end.

He was sitting in his room when Veronica burst in, a wide grin on her face. "What's going on, chica?"He smiled back at her, pulling her towards him and pressing a kiss to her lips.

She kissed him back hurriedly, before pulling away, "There was a raid at the RiverStix today." Eli's eyes widened as she continued, "Danny Boyd and Liam were both taken into custody and a bunch of others."

"Where did you hear this?"

"My dad," She grinned, "And according to him, all the Fitzpatrick's, except the priest, are going down."

"Holy shit." He muttered. Veronica's grin widened, "What more good news?"

"Do you know what it means if there are no Fitzpatrick's in Neptune?" Veronica asked, nearly bouncing in excitement.

"Safer streets and a lower crime rate?" Eli asked with a grin.

"Felix can come home!" She nearly squealed, "I mean, not until after we know they're going away for good, but Felix and Molly will be safe!" Eli had never even thought of Felix returning since he found out about Molly.

"Yeah but how's he going to know that? You don't know where he is…" At the guilty look that crossed her face, he realized maybe that wasn't the truth.

"Well I don't know where he is exactly…" She shifted, and then pulled an envelope out of her pocket, "But I do have this." He took it and saw it was a letter addressed to _Blondie _and a PO Box address underneath. "I told him that when he got settled to mail me. I was starting to get worried, but I got this last week."

"Do you mind if I-?" He gestured to the envelope.

"Go ahead," she nodded, and he wasted no time opening it and devouring the familiar scrawl of his best friend.

_Hey You,_

_Sorry it took so long, setting up house is a little harder than I thought. Yeah you read right, I just set up my house...well is a double wide a house? Me and M are doing really great. Found myself a nice job at a garage nearby. I know I was supposed to do that trucking school but some things came up, and I needed a Plan B. _

_How's Weevil? Still got his head up his ass or did he finally come to his senses? I hope you forgive him when he does come around. He needs you, V. I know you can't write back and tell me, but as soon as I have my own PO Box set up I'll mail you the address. _

_I miss you, V._

_Love,_

_Me_

Eli frowned, Felix hadn't given anything about his whereabouts and there was no return address, "He said you can't write back?"

"Nope," She grinned, "But I don't need to," he raised an eyebrow and she tapped at the postmark, Olympia, Washington, "We're going to go visit him."

In a manner of three days, Eli learned two things. First, his girlfriend was by far the best liar he had ever met. Not only had he convinced her father she was going on a trip with Mac to San Francisco, but she had convinced his uncle to give him a few days off so he could 'meet her grandparents' in upstate. Second, he really _really _hated flying.

"It's gonna be okay." Veronica murmured softly to him as he gripped the armrest.

"Uh huh." Was all he said, looking at the seat in front of him. He had made the mistake of glancing out the window once already, and he refused to do so again. Veronica leaned across him and yanked down the cover on the small window, and then sat back and eased his hand from the arm rest and took it into her own.

"We're almost there." She told him, tracing the back of his hand with his fingers, and he nodded tersely, but his mind continued to race. He was used to dealing with the biggest and baddest mother fuckers around, but this he couldn't. He was thousands of feet in the air in a metal death trap. Nothing was going to calm him down, "Hey, Eli" Nothing was going to distract him from the fact that at any moment they could all plummet to their death, in a fiery painful crash that would consume them all, "I love you." His head snapped in her direction, and he blinked at her in confusion.

"What?" He gasped, surely he had heard her wrong. He knew she liked him, hell they'd been dating on and off (mostly off) since last year…but love? She never told him that before.

"Is it that much of a surprise, Eli? Usually people in a relationship love each other, you know." Veronica laughed, but Eli interrupted her with his lips. She loved him.

"I love you too." Eli murmured against her lips, causing her to smile again, "So much." She kissed him again, and the last thing on his mind was the fact that the plane could crash at any moment. It didn't matter. He could die right now, and it would be okay. Because he finally knew something. Something he had denied possible for so long. Not only did Eli Navarro love Veronica Mars, but she loved him back.


	45. Chapter 45

The house they found didn't look like any place Eli pictured Felix to end up in. It was a trailer, that wasn't the surprise, but it was in a nice community. And there was a station wagon out front. A station wagon. "You sure this is it?" He asked her, as the climbed the front steps of the porch to the double wide. There weren't any beer bottles or cigarette butts. No bike…

Veronica knocked and a few moments later Eli was staring at the shocked face of Felix Toombs. "Holy Fucking SHIT!" Felix whooped throwing open the screen door and yanking Veronica into his arms, picking her up and swinging her back and forth in a hug. When he was done, and let her go Felix's gaze turned back to him and any smile wiped from his face.

Eli didn't really know what to do, the last time they spoke he had just punched Felix to his face, and the look he was getting wasn't one he could perceive as happy to see him. "You mother fucker!" Felix shook his head nearing him, only to break out in a loopy grin, "You crazy mother fucker, give me some love!" And yanked him into a tight hug, "I can't believe you all are here, man!" Felix pulled away with a grin, and Veronica and Eli's smiles nearly mirrored his. "Come in!" He finally ushered after he stared at them with his goofy grin. "What the fuck are you doing here?" Then his face dropped, "Oh god, what are you doing here?!"

Veronica grinned, "Came to see you crib, hombre." She teased lightly, flopping down on the couch, "Where's your girl at?"

Felix grinned at that, "She's at the flea market with one of her hippy friends." Motioning for Eli to take a seat, "How've you guys been?"

Veronica's smile faded slightly and Eli responded, "It's been a rough couple of months." He shrugged. "Only gonna get easier."

Felix raised his eyebrow, "Neptune easier?"

"Liam Fitzpatrick and Danny Boyd were arrested." Veronica smiled, but Felix didn't smile back.

"Please tell me you had nothing to do with that." He said slowly, "Please tell me you did not make enemies with the Fitzpatricks."

"You're fucking joking right?" Eli questioned, causing Felix to stare at him in surprise, "She made enemies with them the moment she helped you and Molly, you think they weren't gonna find out?"

"Do they—" Felix stared to pale.

Veronica cut in, "I didn't tell them anything, I swear. They have no idea where you are." Her fingers went instinctively where the faint scar of where Liam and dragged the empty tattooing needle across her skin.

"What do you mean you didn't tell them anything? When were you talking to them?!" Felix explained. He had worried about Veronica in Neptune alone, hell even asked her to come with them before him and Molly skipped town.

Veronica didn't speak up, but Eli had no problem filling him in. The way he saw it Felix should know everything that happened, because it wouldn't have if he hadn't been with Molly Fitzpatrick. "Thumper was working with them, he sold her out. Had a scare at the RiverStix."

"What kind of fucking scare?" Felix demanded getting up. "God damn it you should have just come with us like I said in the beginning." The silence that fell over the room was deafening, Eli had never heard that before.

"You asked her to leave with you?" The real question was obvious: You wanted to take her this far away from me?

Felix shifted, "You weren't talking to her then, man, I was worried about her being alone." All Eli did was nod, "Now can someone expand on this scare at the RiverStix?"

"It was nothing really…" Veronica started, but Eli interrupted her.

"She went investigating something else, ended up there. Thumper pointed her out and they grabbed her." Eli said coldly, "From what Echolls said he had to pull a gun to keep them from tattooing up her face, but not before they ran the needle over her neck a few times."

"They what!" Felix snapped, and walked over to Veronica, lifting her chin and looking for any marks, he wouldn't have seen it if Veronica hadn't of shied away and untucked the hair behind her ear. Felix shoved the blonde strands out of his way and his eyes fell on the faint scared outline of a clover. "That son of a bitch." His eyes went back to Eli, "Thumper helped them?" His tone was stony and Eli knew he wanted vengeance.

"Already took care of it." Eli said firmly. "For that and what he did to Hector." Felix arched an eyebrow in confusion, "Do you watch the news at all?"

Felix shook his head, "I don't know anything about what's happened in Neptune, man, been kind of busy."

"Nothing?" Eli echoed, "Not even about Aaron Echolls." Veronica flinched at the name and Felix noticed almost immediately.

"I heard that he got arrested for Lily's murder…" Felix said slowly, who hadn't heard that? Then it dawned on him, "I'm guessing V, cracked the case." Veronica nodded mutely. "And I'm guessing there's more to the story than you found some tapes and turned him in…"

Veronica laughed darkly at that and Felix looked worried, "Just the fact that he almost killed me."

"What?!" Felix gasped, "How?!" He dropped into the seat next to Veronica.

"He locked me in a freezer…"She shrugged, and Felix looked confused.

"And he just left you there to die?" Felix said incredulously, and Veronica shrugged letting Eli finish the story yet again.

"After he set it on fire." Eli said softly, and Felix was speechless. Both Veronica and Eli looked at each other guiltily, they had meant to bring good news, not catch him up on all the horrible. Felix pulled Veronica into a tight hug murmuring something into her hair he couldn't hear, "Her dad got her out before she got hurt too bad." Eli said lightly, but it really didn't seem to matter.

"Where were you?" Felix demanded, "Please tell me you guys weren't still ignoring her!"

Veronica chuckled, "Not at that moment." But she didn't pull out of Felix's embrace. It was comforting to be held by him, not in the way it was when Eli held her, but in a brotherly way. "He was out defending my honor." She scoffed, and Eli tried to ignore the guilt bubbling in his gut.

"Who were you beating up?" Felix asked, Eli shifted in his seat and Veronica leaned forward and murmured something in his ear, "Echolls knocked your ass out?" He laughed, and Eli glared at Veronica playfully, who grinned in response. "So what happened to Hector, man?"

Eli frowned, "He died." Felix didn't say anything for a long time, so Eli continued, "Thumper killed him." Again Felix said nothing, only nodded. Felix and Hector knew each other since pre-school, their mothers had been close through high school and got knocked up at the same time.

"Why?" Felix's voice slightly rougher than before. Both Veronica and Eli chose not to speak, Veronica already felt like it was her fault Hector was killed, and Eli blamed a lot of people. "Really you're not gonna tell me?" He asked surprised.

Eli hesitated, "Thumper set up Echolls to get us fighting again." He still beat himself up over how quickly he had taken the bait, turning his back on Veronica, and letting her fall into the Fitzpatrick's hands even if it had only been for a minute. By the look on Felix's face he knew it too.

"But on a positive note," Veronica cut in, but the room was still tense, "With the Fitzpatrick's away you and Molly are safe to come home." She sounded so hopeful. Ever since Wallace had left to get to know his father, Veronica had been down both her best friends.

Felix frowned, "V," he said slowly, and Eli watched the way her face fell, but she caught it before it was too obvious, "Me and Molly…we're kind of set up here now, you know…"

"Yeah," Veronica smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes, "Of course, I just thought…" She stopped talking and looked around the trailer. It was nicely decorated, obviously with a woman's touch, and it resembled everything a home should.

"It's not that we don't want to," Felix tried to say, a frown on his face, "It's just with Evie coming" Felix stopped talking at the incredulous looks he was getting, "Shit I haven't told you!"

"Told us what?" Eli demanded.

"Babe, whose car's out—"Molly Fitzpatrick walked in holding a bag in her hand and staring at them in shock. She wasn't the only one, Eli and Veronica were staring right back at her except they were staring at the huge round belly she had.

"We're having a baby." Felix said awkwardly.


	46. Chapter 46

A/N: I know I've been slow on the updates lately, they are coming slowly, but surely. It's the last two weeks of my semester, and finals are next week so bare with me. :)

Felix and Eli sat on the porch off Felix's double wide. Molly and Veronica were inside making dinner together while they drank a couple beers and talked, and it was almost surreal. "So you're gonna be a dad." Eli said, with a grin, "What's that like."

"Terrifying." He said honestly, he said taking a swig of his beer. "And amazing. That woman is carrying around my daughter, man. My fucking daughter." Eli grinned at that, Felix would make a good father. "So what do you think, Uncle Eli, gonna come up and see your niece every now and then?"

"Uncle Eli, huh?"

Felix gave him an incredulous, "What we ain't brothers anymore?" He nudged him slightly, "You don't still think I'm pissed about you sucker punching all those times?" Eli winced slightly and Felix straight out laughed, "It's been what? 7 months? 6 of them Molly's been pregnant. Believe me when I it's alright, man."

"I shouldn't have…"Eli started.

"No," Felix agreed, "You shouldn't have. But you did, and obviously V forgave your ass, so I know you had to of already groveled." At Eli's shrug, "You're telling me V didn't make you beg for forgiveness?" He said incredulously, "How did you get her back?" Felix's tone had slightly changed, less friendly and more 'you're dating my little sister' tone of voice.

Eli sighed, rubbing the back of his head and took another swig of his beer. "Before or after I fucked up again?"

"Both." Felix said pointedly, "How about tell me all of it? When did you realize she wasn't fucking me?"

"When you left her." Eli told him honestly, no one in their right mind would let go of Veronica when they had her. He'd never slept with her, but even the soft kisses were enough to keep him sated happily.

"And you apologized after that?"

"I should have." Eli admitted, "I had Norris start looking out for her."

"Norris Clayton, you got him on a bike?" Felix asked randomly. At his nod Felix continued, "So what happened?"

"I found out what happened the night before I met her." Eli said lowly.

Felix dropped his beer and his face went stony, he glanced over his shoulder to make sure the girls weren't coming outside before asking, "You found out what those fuckers did to her?" Eli nodded mutely, "How?"

"You remember Camren?" Felix nodded, "A video tape of her got sent out by her sleaze of an ex, didn't know it at the time but turns out in the she was drugged out of her mind, but when I saw the video I decided to teach him some manners, when he was stuck to the flagpole I saw V pull a knife."

Felix looked at him confused, "She was cutting him down?"

"No she was waving it in his face." Eli told him, remembering the hysterical scene he had witnessed. "Asking him where he got it, and who sold it to him."

"Got what?" Felix asked.

"The GHB." Eli muttered, trying to ignore the residual rage that brewed inside of him.

"They drugged her?" Felix's voice was deadly. Eli nodded solemnly, "Who?"

"Dick Casablancas dosed his girlfriend who gave her drink to V." He explained, "Logan organized all the 09er dudes to take body shots off her, and Duncan swooped in to save the day." Eli almost spat.

"Well that's good right?"

Eli shook his head, "Duncan Kane raped her."

A long silence fell over them, "You killed him, right?" Felix finally growled, and Eli gave a disappointed sigh.

"No." He admitted, "Never touched him." At Felix's surprised expression, he continued, "She made me promise not to, somehow she's got it in her head it wasn't rape. Thinks they both wanted it." He shrugged, not wanting to think about it.

Suddenly Felix turned green, "But aren't they…related…?" He whispered, and Eli realized just how much Felix had missed.

"Nah, Sheriff Mars got a paternity test done, 100% his." He reassured, and Felix seemed to go back to his usual coloring. "He thought she was his sister though, when he did it."

"Well I didn't promise her shit, I'll fillet the fucker." Felix growled, clenching his fists.

"If you can find him," Eli scoffed, "She helped him skip town too."

"Oh, I'll find him." Felix reassured, "So you never told me how you got her to forgive you?"

Eli shrugged again, "I didn't. She called me because she almost hooked up with Echolls, but found his dads cameras thinking it was his. Had me come get her." Eli said as blandly as he could, the thought of Veronica and Echolls sleeping together made his skin crawl.

"That's why you went to 'defend her honor' as V put it?" Felix smirked, "Then I'm guessing you started fighting again after that? How'd you fix that?"

Eli hesitated, "I got her off the bus." He told him, and at the confused look he got he found himself explaining, about how someone had killed the 9 kids on the bus, by planting a bomb, about Curly Moran, and the possibility of the bomb being intended for Veronica.

"Jesus Christ, it's like a fucking soap opera." Felix muttered, "So you never apologized."

"Not as much as I should have." Eli admitted, falling silent when they heard the door open, the sound of Molly and Veronica laughing through the screen.

"We made it, you can come and get it." Molly hollered and the two girls fell back into a chorus laughter, making the two guys grin.

"You ever think we'd find girls who would make us dinner?" Felix asked, as they rose to their feet, him picking up his spilt beer and pouring out the last sip before chucking it into the recycling bin.

"Never thought I'd get a girl like V." Eli told him honestly, "Sure as hell never thought she'd be making me dinner with your baby mama." He teased, nudging his friend slightly before walking into the house.

"Mmmm, something smells good." Felix announced walking behind Molly and wrapping his arms around her, placing his hands on the sides of her belly and kissing her cheek. Eli found himself beside Veronica, dropping a kiss on the top of her head.

They grabbed their plates, piling it with the chicken Alfredo the girls had put together and sat at the small table. They ate and talked and laughed, and Eli found himself never wanting the moment to end. This was the way life was supposed to be.

"So, where did you come up with the name Evie?" Veronica asked in between bites, and Felix shifted in his seat while Molly smiled brightly.

"Well…" Felix started rubbing the back of his neck.

"Aww are you embarrassed to tell them?" Molly laughed, pushing him slightly.

"Tell us what?" Eli asked with a smirk, watching his friend squirm.

Felix opened his mouth, then shut it again before he finally started speaking, "Well, I didn't think I'd ever see you guys again…" he trailed off, and at the confused, yet amused, looks he was getting he continued, "We named her after you guys."

Eli quirked an eyebrow, more confused than ever as Veronica looked deep in thought, "Evie? How's that-"

"Felix!" Veronica interrupted, a huge grin on her face, "That's the sweetest thing ever!" Eli chose to cast his confused stare onto her, "Don't you get it?" She said incredulously, "Evie. E-V. It's our initials!"

Eli looked at Felix who smiled in return, "She's quick." Felix nodded, "Molly thought I was crazy for a good hour before I explained it." The remark earned him a soft smack on his shoulder from Molly, who was grinning nonetheless.

"I can't believe you named your kid after us, man. What about your mom or someone?" Eli shook his head, a smile on his face.

Felix pulled a face, "My mom's name is Eunice and Molly's mom is Agatha. I think we did the kid a favor by picking you guys. We expect you to return the favor of course when you guys-"

"Don't finish that statement, we have college to go to first." Veronica said, putting her hands. Felix's eyes widened and he looked at Eli in surprise.

"College bound are we, Weevs?" He grinned, and Eli shifted in his seat. He hadn't told Veronica he had decided to apply so he just shrugged. He didn't want to get her hopes up if he didn't get in. "What would you go for?"

"Art." Veronica replied, in a 'duh' voice. "Have you not seen his sketchbooks?" Now it was Eli's turn to look surprised, since when had she seen his sketchbooks. She seemed to realize this and look admittedly sheepish. "What? Like you didn't know I was nosy." Felix laughed at that, and Eli shook his head with a grin.

"What about you, V? Plans to be a spy?" Felix teased.

Veronica scoffed, "I already got my PI license, figured I'd go for something I love." Felix raised his eyebrow, nearly mimicking Eli.

"Are you saying Nancy Drew doesn't like detecting?" Felix teased.

"Nancy Drew likes getting paid." Veronica smirked, "Which I already do with my PI license. I'm going for Journalism and Photography."

"Where are you planning on going?" Molly asked innocently, but Veronica's smile dropped and she cast a glance at Eli. It wasn't something they had discussed, but Eli knew it would be far away. It's what she always wanted which is why he had looked into colleges near Stanford and Berkley (Her top choices). Unfortunately most were out of his price range, and GPA. His grades had gotten better, his SAT scores not so much.

"Hearst." She said, picking at the noodles on her face as Felix's jaw all but dropped, and Eli's did the same.

"Hearst?" Eli echoed in disbelief.

Veronica shrugged, "It's a good school…"

"It's in Neptune." Felix said bluntly.

"Yeah?" Veronica shrugged, "There's nothing wrong with staying close to home."

Eli looked at her in disbelief, "What about Stanford?"

Veronica looked him in the eye and smiled, "It was missing something I needed." She told him, taking his hand in hers and giving it a light squeeze. He knew what she meant, he knew she wasn't leaving him behind.

"Well, after Hearst you two need to move the fuck out of that cesspool." Felix announced, "That place will eat you alive."

Veronica and Eli grinned at each other, before Veronica responded, "We will. One day."


	47. Chapter 47

They head been back in Neptune for a while, and had fallen into a comfortable routine of school and enjoying each other's company. Felix kept in touch by phone, and Molly was apparently getting bigger by the day. "She's gonna pop soon." His friend had told him one night, and Eli heard a crash in the background, "Jesus, Molly, it was a joke!" Eli laughed as his friend hung up and he went back to his UCLA application. He hadn't told Veronica he was applying, he figured he's just go to Balboa Community if he didn't get in the UCLA Art program. He was applying to San Jose, which was closer to Stanford, but he didn't expect to get in, they wanted 1300+ SAT scores. His abuela kept mentioning some art institute in San Diego, but he didn't know if his art was good enough to get him in there.

The only problem is he needed to send in a portfolio of his work to be considered. Which is why his sketch books were strewn across the room. He had a pile of his favorites in front of him, and his abuela's favorites beside that. She was the only one who knew what he was doing, and she could hardly contain the smile when he walked out of his room.

"How's it going, mijo?" She asked, trying to get the younger ones to sit in front of the T.V. He frowned at how tired she looked lately, and with a stern look from him the kids settled.

"I need new ones." He told her, and she cocked an eyebrow almost making him laugh, it was a family trait. "The ones I have are all old. They don't want to see how good I was in ninth grade." She smiled brightly.

"Well then I guess it's good I got you something." She told him, walking over to the hutch and opening the drawer. She pulled out a good sized sketch pad, and a metal tin. An art kit. "They told me this is the kind the artists use." He opened the tin to see the pencils, pastels, and charcoals, it was perfect.

"Gracias, Abuela." He murmured, "You shouldn't have."

"Of course, I should have." She brushed off, "Now go, create a master piece."

Eli crumbled up yet another paper, and groaned in defeat as he sat on dog beach. "Whatcha doing, Eli?" He heard a familiar blonde call and he turned to her with a grin.

"Waiting for a muse, come here." He waved her over, "Sit." He pointed to the rock in front of him. She hesitantly did as she was told, looking at him curiously.

"I've never seen you draw before." She murmured after a moment of him glancing up at her and then back down at the page. He shrugged slightly, biting his lip as he smudged the charcoal with his finger. "I've got jury duty tomorrow."

"Really?" He questioned, "You're on Anissa's jury?" Anissa was a nice neighborhood girl, she had some run-ins with the law but everyone on his block had. From what he heard, some 09ers had beaten her pretty badly when she turned them down. Now they were saying she was a prostitute. Veronica nodded slightly, "I've known that girl my whole life." He told her, catching her attention, "She'd sell her soul before she sold her body."

They didn't say anything more about the trial, and he continued to draw her perfect form. "Perfect." He grinned, setting down his charcoal and set a blank sheet over it before closing it.

"What I don't get to see it?" She teased. He hesitated before shaking his head in the negative, "Why not?"

"It's a surprise." He grinned softly, before standing to brush the sand from his jeans. She watched him curiously as he put the sketch book and kit in his bag, handling each item carefully.

"So, what are your holiday plans?" She asked as they walked along the beach towards the parking lot where his bike, and no doubt her car, was parked.

Eli shrugged, "Dinner Christmas Eve, presents Christmas Morning."

"I'm cooking for my dad Tuesday night," She said hesitantly, "I was wondering if you wanted to come…" She looked so unsure of herself, it was downright adorable.

He grinned, throwing an arm around her shoulder and pulling her close to him. "What time you want me there, chica?" The bright smile he got in return was well worth the nervous feeling dwelling inside him. He could handle dinner with the sheriff…

It was 8 o'clock sharp and Eli knocked on the door of Veronica's apartment. He smiled brightly at the sight of Veronica in an elf hat as she answered the door, "Eli," She greeted brightly, stepping aside to let him in. "Just in time."

Sheriff Mars was sitting at the table already and greeted him warmly, "Merry Christmas Eli."

"Merry Christmas, Sheriff." Eli replied awkwardly, handing Veronica the tin of his Abuela's molasses cookies, "They ain't as good as yours," he told her, "But she only makes them for family."

"Aww," Veronica smiled brightly, "Tell her I said thank you!" She then ushered him to the table as he shrugged off his back pack and jacket and placed them on the back of his chair. He sat, watching her place the tin on the counter and mess around with something on the stove, "Give me 5 minutes."

Eli's gaze fell to the Sheriff who wore a grin, and Eli realized what those five minutes would be used for. "So Eli, how's school?"

"Good," Eli nodded, and surprisingly enough it was, "Passing a least."

"Passing with a B average." Veronica piped up proudly, and he couldn't help but grin.

"And have you thought about after graduation?" The Sheriff asked.

Eli nodded, "Uh yeah. I sent in my applications yesterday." Sheriff Mars' eyes widened in surprise and there was a clatter in the kitchen, and moments later Veronica came out a tray in her hand.

"Applications?" She grinned brightly, "Applications where?" She set down the tray of what looked to be midget chickens and sat in the chair to his right, as her father still stared across the table at him in disbelief. "You never mentioned anything about applying to anywhere."

Eli shrugged, "Wasn't sure if I could get the portfolios together."

"Portfolios?" Sheriff Mars echoed curiously.

"Eli's an artist." Veronica replied happily, "So where did you apply?!" She asked barely containing herself.

"Just UCLA, San Jose," He shrugged and then muttered the last one, which had been spur of the moment and doubted if he was actually good enough to get in, "and the Art Institute in San Diego."

"Eli!" She gushed, finally serving them a midget chicken each "That's awesome!"

"So you don't plan to stay in Neptune?" Sheriff Mars asked, stopping Eli from grabbing his fork.

"UCLA I'd commute." He shrugged, "San Jose and San Diego," Eli shrugged, "It's just an option." He looked at Veronica as he said that, hoping she knew he meant if she chose to go somewhere beside Hearst he wouldn't be too far away. "Fall back plan is Balboa Community."

"Seems you got it all planned," Sheriff Mars nodded, in what might have been acceptance, finally digging in to the meal.

"Damn, V. You cook a mean pigeon." He teased lightly, then quickly apologizing for his language at the Sheriff's look.

"It's Cornish game hen," she corrected, "I thought they were cute."

"Well they're delicious." Eli told her honestly, taking a sip of his soda.

As Veronica cleared their plates after dinner, Eli chose then to dig her gift out and put the brightly wrapped frame at her seat. When she came back in and spotted it she grinned, "Let me get yours!" She told him before running back to her room, reappearing with box wrapped in green and red paper. His phone vibrated in his pocket but he chose to ignore it, whoever it was could wait right?

"You didn't have to-" but he stopped at her look and Sheriff Mars' chuckle, and accepted the gift.

"You first." She grinned, and he quickly obeyed unwrapping the paper and lifted the lid of the box staring inside with confusion.

"Where did you get this?" He asked with confusion, it was his grandfather's pocket watch. He had been given it when he was much younger, and had broken it. He told his abuela he had lost it in a panic, hiding it way to collect dust.

"I found it in your room," she shrugged innocently, "I had it fixed."

"Fixed?" He asked astonished, grabbing it and opening it, sure enough it told the time. "Why would you…?" He was in awe, never had someone done something so thoughtful.

"I remembered your grandma mentioning you had lost it, so when I found it I figured it should work when I gave it back to you." She gave him a knowing look, she had found it carefully hidden in his art drawer.

"Thank you." He said earnestly, "Your gift ain't nothing compared to this." He murmured.

"Oh shush," She told him, taking the time to peel back the paper carefully. "Oh Eli." She gasped, and Sheriff Mars leaned over to pear at the frame. His phone began to vibrate yet again, and he wondered who could possibly be calling right now. It stopped ringing before he could decide whether or not to pull it from his pocket.

"You drew that?" He asked, clearly astonished and at Eli's nod, "You're good." It was cause enough to smile, as Veronica fawned over every line.

"This is why you wouldn't let me look?" She said with a smile. She set the picture of herself back on the table. Eli had planned to send it in, but he knew he'd never get it back. Instead he had used it as inspiration to come up with enough original pieces to send the three portfolios needed. It had captured her perfectly, right down to that look of curiosity she wore so well. But Eli just nodded, not wanting to explain the need for that picture to stay theirs. "Thank you, it's beautiful."

"Well he had a pretty subject," Sheriff Mars told her, smiling as he picked up the picture to look at it more closely. "How long did this take you?"

"Like an hour." Veronica told him, and the Sheriff nodded, clearly impressed.

"You've got a lot of talent, Eli." The Sheriff nodded.

"Thank you, sir." Eli grinned in appreciation.

"How much would you charge to do something like this?" The question caught him off guard, and he didn't know how to answer. "You could make more money doing this than working at your Uncle's Garage." Eli nodded, and then Keith Mars dropped a verbal bomb, "When you graduate high school, are you graduating with the PCHers? Leader must get a lot of recruitment this time a year."

Leave it to the former sheriff to know how the gang life went. It was true, West Coast Grimms were trying to recruit him, even more so that he was college bound. The Grimms wanted to spread to LA, but he had already told Angel he wasn't interested. "No, I'm out after graduation."

Veronica gave him a surprised but pleased look. It wasn't something they ever talked about, but he knew she wasn't comfortable with the crowd he ran with, especially after everything with Thumper. "Well, that's good to hear, Eli." Sheriff Mars smiled warmly. And for the first time, Eli finally felt like he made the right choice.

Their land line rang, and Veronica excused herself from the table to answer it. He took the moment to pull his own phone out. Both missed calls were from his Uncle Angel and his stomach dropped. He was about to call back when he heard Veronica say, "We'll be right there." And rush into the room worry all over his face, "Eli," she said softly, "we've got to go to the hospital."

"Why?" He asked, but he already knew why. The only reason Angel would ever call him.

"It's you're grandma, she had a heart attack."


	48. Chapter 48

Eli practically ran through the halls of Neptune General, launching himself into the room the nurse at the desk had directed him to. Veronica and Sheriff Mars trailed quietly behind, stopping in the doorway, after refusing to let him drive on his bike so upset. "Abuelita?" He greeted hesitantly approaching her bed. She looked so pail and fragile, not the fierce woman that had raised him.

"Mijo," she smiled softly, "You shouldn't have come down, what about your dinner?"

"Of course I came," He shushed her, "How are you feeling?"

"Much better." She reassured, "I will be fine, don't you worry about me." She patted his hand gently, and his Uncle walked in the door.

"Sobrina," He greeted Veronica pulling her into a light hug, "Thanks for bringing him."

"We weren't about to let him come here alone." She told him, and his abuela finally realized that the Mars' family was there.

"Oh Veronica, come here mija!" She exclaimed, "Eli why didn't you tell me you brought company." Veronica and Sheriff Mars walked in, taking the two chairs on her opposite side. Eli then realized they were in a private room, which he knew was outside their health insurance.

"Nice room." He commented lightly, looking at his uncle for answers.

"Isn't it." His abuela smiles, "I told Logan he really didn't need to but he insisted."

Veronica made a choking noise which she covered with a cough, but Eli didn't hide his surprise, "Echolls?" He questioned, "Logan Echolls paid for your room."

"He paid for everything." His uncle responded, "She was working when she had the heart attack, he called nine one one and rode with her here." Everyone was wearing looks of shock and disbelief, except for his abuela who wore a broad smile. "When they got here, something happened to her insurance the pendejos here wanted to send her somewhere else. I hadn't even been called yet. Apparently Echolls caused a scene, got her a nice room and the best cardiologists they had."

"He's such a thoughtful boy, but he shouldn't have made such a fuss." His abuela said, "He even got me flowers." She said pointing to the beautiful display of tulips in the window. Eli didn't know what to say, this made two times that Echolls saved a woman he loved. Two debts he now owed.

"So you've seen a doctor already? You'll be okay?" He decided to ask.

"Of course, mijo." His abuela reassured, but the look he got from his uncle he knew they needed to talk further. "Now why don't you guys get out of this dreadful place, let me get some sleep." Everyone nodded, preparing to leave when they heard, "Mr. Mars could I speak to you for a minute?"

Eli wanted to hear what his abuela had to say to the sheriff, but his uncle ushered him out of the room and closed the door behind him. "We need to talk, sobrino." His uncle sighed, rubbing his head. "Ma's not getting better." Eli looked at him alarmed, as Veronica remained silent at his side. "She can't work anymore." Eli nodded, he had been trying to tell her that since freshman year.

Every time he brought it up she would shush him, 'You just worry about school, let me worry about the bills'. "When can she come home?" He asked, at Angel's frown Eli snapped, "What?"

"Elias." His uncle said, and Eli stiffened, good news never followed his given name. "Anita came and got Ophelia and Julio, and me and Ma have been talking about it a lot lately anyway."

"Talking about what?" Eli demanded, his mind racing. Why would Anita take the kids, she never took care of them for long, always dropping them back off when it was convenient.

"There's this real nice place, in the 06. An assisted living home." Angel said slowly and Eli lost it.

"A home! You want to stick your mother in a fucking home?!" He snapped.

Angel sighed, exhaustion evident in his face and it was strange to see the man not fight back. Instead of yelling he sat in a chair in the hall and looked at Eli. "We can't afford the house. The banks gonna take it and sell it." Eli's world was crumbling down around him fast, and Veronica grabbed his hand.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He hissed, "I would have picked up more shifts, I would of pulled together some money."

"That's exactly why we didn't tell you. You would have worked instead of focusing on graduating." His uncle tossed back, "You think this is what I want? If it was up to me I would have you working every fucking day, and doing jobs on the fucking side, that's my mother!" Angel's voice began to raise. "I don't want her put somewhere. I don't want to lose the house my fucking father built. I can barely afford my tiny ass apartment, even if I moved back in broke my lease. She made me promise to leave you out of it."

Sheriff Mars chose that moment to walk out of the room, closing the door behind him. "Eli," he said hesitantly, "You're gonna stay with us for a little while." Veronica and Eli both gaped at him, he was what? "Why don't you guys head to the car, while I talk to your uncle?" Eli was too confused to argue, and Veronica started to lead him down the hall. His mind spiraling.

He needed to fix this. She raised him, took him in when he wasn't worth anyone else's time. His own parents hadn't wanted him. He fucked up time and time again, and she always forgave him. It was his turn to take care of her. He got in the back seat of Mr. Mars' Oldsmobile, reached into his pocket and pulled out his grandfather's pocket watch.

He was silent as the sheriff got in and started the car, pulling out of the parking lot and onto the main road. No one spoke the whole ride to the Inn Apartments, and he wasn't sure when he had made his decision but he found himself walking towards his bike.

"Eli," He heard the sheriff following him, "where are you going?"

"Something I need to take care of." He muttered, climbing on his bike, not caring that his helmet and back pack were still sitting by the Mars' kitchen table. "I'll see you tomorrow, V."

"You're supposed to be staying with us," Sheriff Mars protested, "I promised your grandmother that I wouldn't let you try to come up with some scheme to save the house. She wants you to graduate and go to college.

"I'm gonna do both." He said stubbornly, turning the key to his bike and peeling away, thankful that Veronica hadn't stopped him just nodded from the steps knowingly. This was a shot in the dark, but at least it was a shot. He found himself heading towards the richer part of town, until he pulled up to a familiar driveway.

The gate was open, and he wandered to the main house, knocking on the huge wooden doors. "What are you doing here?" Was the greeting he got, but he shoved past Echolls and into the mansion.

"Thank you for helping my grandmother." He said after a moment of awkward silence.

"It's not like I'd just stand and watch…" Logan trailed of, and closed his eyes, "How is she?" The worry in his voice through Eli for a loop.

"Says she's fine." Eli shrugged, "I need a favor."

"Racking 'em up are we?" Logan drawled, but without the average vehemence. "What do you want?"

Eli squashed down his pride, looking Echolls straight in the eye. "I want you to buy my house."


	49. Chapter 49

"You want me to what?" Logan balked, "You fall off that bike of yours, paco? Hit your head a time too many?" Eli scowled, and Logan continued, "You wanna tell me why I should buy your, uh, _house_." He said house, as if it wasn't really the word he wanted to use.

Eli shifted uncomfortably, realizing this could have been his worst idea. "We're gonna lose it."

"And?" Logan asked, and eyebrow raised as he flopped it on the couch.

"Why'd you get her that fancy room?" Eli asked abruptly, "And all the doctors?"

Logan stared at him for a minute, "I just did." He said with a shrug.

Eli sighed, "Just forget it man, this was a waste of time." He turned to leave but Echolls called after him.

"I didn't say no, did I?" He replied, "I just want a reason."

Eli swung around his anger getting the best of him as always, and with Echolls it was just so easy, "How about Christmas 1998?" Logan's eyes widened dramatically, "Or Easter 1999? Thanksgiving 2000? Or hell, man, my birthday last year? All of those were days she should have been home with her family but she was busy making sure your holidays were picture fucking perfect." Logan's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Eli for once worried about his wellbeing in Logan's presence.

"Picture fucking perfect." Logan echoed, his voice hollow. "That's why you think she stayed here those days." He had gotten up from the couch and walked over to his counter which he had an assortment of bottles laid out on display. He picked up the tequila, opened it and took a swig, a far off look in his eyes.

"What else would she be doing?" Not sure why he was asking.

"Which time?" Logan asked softly, in a tone Eli had never heard from him. He took another swig, longer this time. And another.

"What?"

"Which fucking time, Weevil?" He spat, "Christmas '98, she stayed because my dad almost killed me by shoving pears down my throat and after my mom pulled a knife on him they didn't feel like celebrating. So she sat with me while I opened my gifts, you know once I stopped puking, and made dinner for the two of us, well soup couldn't really eat solid food." Logan's voice got louder with each word, "Or Easter, I couldn't find all the eggs so he locked me outside until I found all 20. Your grandmother helped me look for them for six hours so I could go inside and eat. Thanksgiving? She wasn't even scheduled to come over but it was a holiday so I guess she just knew, when she showed up my dad had me pinned to the table a knife to my cheek, said 'I'll show you how to carve a fucking turkey.'" Eli gaped not knowing what to say, "Oh and your birthday," Logan actually laughed, "The only reason I know your birthday is December 6th" He turned his back and yanked up his shirt revealing scared welts that crisscrossed his back, "Is because your grandmother was making your cake when my dad dragged me through the kitchen on his way to his study to do this. And then she gave me a slice while she patched me up."

Eli stared, nothing he said could make any of that better, "I didn't know." He said blandly, and he wanted to kick himself. Aaron Echolls was a sick fuck, he knew that already, but this? Suddenly Eli was angry for a whole new reason.

"Of course you didn't." Logan said, pulling his shirt back down and grabbing the tequila again. "Where are you and Letty going to live if I don't buy the house?"

Thankful for the change of subject, Eli replied, "Angel wants to put her in a home." Logan's eyes darkened, "I figured, if I could get you to buy the house, and rent it to us until I can pay it off. That way she can stay in her house."

"Who's gonna take care of her?" Logan asked again, and Eli was annoyed at the statement.

"I will." He said, and at the raise of Logan's eyebrow he spat, "What? You got something to say."

"Yeah," Logan laughed, "You'll be dead the moment you tell Letty any of this. For the past few weeks all I have heard is her go on and on about you 'Elias is going away for college', 'Elias is going to make something of himself', 'Elias won't be stuck here much longer'. You think she's gonna let you take care of her?" Eli looked at him surprised at how well Echolls actually knew his abuela. She never mentioned her work, he figured it was always just that a job.

"So you saying you aren't gonna help me?" Eli said bluntly.

"Of course I'm not going to help _you._" Echolls scoffed, but continued as Eli went to storm away, "But I will help her. What's the name of the bank that's selling the house?" Eli rambled off the name and Logan nodded writing it down, "Now there is one exception to this generosity." And Eli groaned, of course there is a catch. "You're letting me hire her a caretaker."

"What?" Eli blanched. Logan just shrugged, taking another sip, "She might not like that very much."

"You think she's gonna like you asking a rich white boy to buy her house?" He had a point. If anything the Navarro's were a proud bunch. Asking for a handout was not how they did things. "So we got a deal?"

"Yeah man, we got a deal." Eli nodded vigorously. "Thanks."

"Anything for Letty, dude." Was all Logan said, before walking further into the house to leave Eli to show himself out. Eli stood there for a minute, in the empty looking mansion. Glancing around it seemed cold and creepy, and he frowned, maybe for the first time realizing how empty it was. And with his abuela not working, Logan had no one.

Two days later Eli walked into Neptune General, his head held high and the deed to his house in his hand. "Mijo!" His abuela greeted, interrupting whatever she had been talking about to Angel, "Angel was just telling me someone bought the house."

"Yep." He smiled, and Angel cast him a suspicious look but remained silent. He set the paper down in front of her.

"What is this?" She demanded, her eyes flickering over the paper.

He shrugged, before going to the cabinet where his abuela's things are and pulled out her suitcase. His uncle had just brought this stuff over, so and if Eli hadn't gotten home probably would have started to pack the house. Eli hadn't told the truth, instead saying he would pack his house when he was good and fucking ready.

"Sobrino, what are you doing?" His uncle asked with a sigh, "She's not getting transferred til next week."

"Oh yeah, I called the place and told them she wasn't coming." He shrugged nonchalantly, his uncle shooting daggers at him and his abuela still staring at the paper in confusion.

"We already talked about this, Eli!" His uncle snapped, "Where do you expect to take her? Home? It just got sold, remember."

"Angel," his abuela murmured, but his uncle ignored him.

"What are you thinking?" He hissed at Eli and was about to say something else when a doctor knocked and let themselves in the room they all fell silent.

"Are you ready to go home Ms. Navarro?" The short red headed woman asked with a smile, "You'll be very happy with the treatment you receive with Dr. Vedra at home." She turned to Eli, handing him a clipboard, "Here's the release forms, just bring them out when you're ready." When no one responded she just nodded and left, probably assuming they didn't speak much English.

Eli went back to packing his abuela's things when his uncle asked, "What the fuck did you do?"

"Excuse me?" Eli snapped back, "I found a way to keep her at home. Is that a problem?"

"It is when the only way you could possibly get enough money for that house is by doing something stupid. So what the fuck did you do? Rob someone, do a job for Rico? Huh, what did you do that's gonna fuck up your chance of getting out of here." His uncle nearly roared

"Nothing!" Eli hissed, "I didn't do a fucking thing."

Angel looked at him in disbelief, "Yeah, and you just magically came up with the money?"

Eli sneered at him, "Don't worry _tio_, nobody's asking you for a dime. Leave the caring up to me."

"What the fuck is that supposed—"

"Angel!" His abuela snapped, "Now both of you, stop it." She scolded, then looked at Eli holding up the deed in her hand, "Elias, explain to me why Logan Echolls' name is on my deed."

Angel's eyes widened and mouth dropped, "Because he owns it, but is renting it to me." Eli said finally.

"You asked him to buy our house?" She whispered, "Oh Eli-"

"Don't, I know you wouldn't have wanted it this way but abuelo built that house for you, you're going to stay in it." Eli told her.

"So this means he can throw her out whenever he pleases?" Angel scoffed.

Eli shrugged, "He could, but he's not going to."

"Yeah and why's that?" Angel demanded.

"Same reason he paid for the caretaker who's gonna be around when I'm at school," Eli said, "and this room, and the doctors."

"Yeah why's that?"

"Because he's family." Leticia Navarro said softly, her eyes tearing up, "Thank you mijo. Tell him thank you." And Eli's suspicions were confirmed, seems his abuela had adopted the white boy.


	50. Chapter 50

A/N: Here's Chapter 50! Thank you so much for your support, I never expected this to be this long but all the lovely reviews have kept me going strong. Now to answer some FAQ: in regards to who Logan winds up with...it's a surprise, ie: No idea yet. Can't be Hannah now since the Thumper situation is solved, and the only other girl is Parker and she's not there yet. I'm open to suggestions, oh and I refuse for it to be Mac, I've already got plans for her. Also, as for how long this story will be? I still have at least a season and a half to re-write. :) Thanks again guys.

Life for Eli was…weird the past couple of days. His abuela was home and Echolls had done everything he had promised already. They had a lease written up, the Navarro's would pay a low rent until the house was paid off, and as per Angel's request the lease said Echolls couldn't evict them. Also a woman came every day to help Letty with the housework and spend time with her, while Eli went to school and worked, and a doctor was scheduled to come by weekly. The Navarro's never saw a bill, but they did see a lot more of Logan Echolls.

He had visited Letty almost every day since she came home. Eli would go to the shop for a couple hours, and when he returned to his house, the caretakers van would be gone and Echolls' obnoxious yellow vehicle would be in its place. At first it had irritated him, but today he walked in and heard his abuela laughing harder than he had heard her in a long while. When he wandered into the kitchen he saw his abuela at the table laughing and saying the names of ingredients in Spanish as Logan attempted to decipher and make what looked to be chili. And by the smell, his abuelo's old recipe.

"What's going on?" He asked cautiously, dropping a kiss on her cheek and nodding in her direction.

"He's trying to learn how to cook and speak Spanish." She mused, "At the same time."

"Yeah and how's that going for you?" He asked Echolls, taking a seat and dropping his backpack in the chair next to him.

"Better than expected." Echolls said mildly, "What's next?"

"Cebolla." She nodded at the onion, which was chopped already in a small dish. Logan dumped it in, stirring around the chili.

Eli pulled out his sketch pad, which lately had been within arm's reach every waking moment. He went to work, listening to his abuela call out the ingredients and he drew. It wasn't until Echolls spoke that he realized what he was drawing, "Damn you actually are good." He looked down at the picture of Veronica's smiling face peering up at him. It was a close up of just her face, her eyes wide and bright, and smirk on her lips. "Can you look at a picture and draw it? Like a portrait?"

Eli shrugged, "Yeah." Turning the pages until he opened up to the picture of Ophelia and Julio smiling brightly, the photograph he copied paper clipped to the corner. Logan nodded in appreciation, spooning three bowls of chili out.

"You know the moms in my neighborhood would pay a lot for this kind of stuff?"

"Yeah, if they don't see the guy behind the drawing." He laughed, not many people looked at him and though professional artist. More professional criminal.

"Well maybe they don't have to." Logan responded, digging into the chili, "Hey this isn't bad!" He told Letty who was smiling proudly.

"You did a good job, mijo." She told him, which Eli had to admit digging into his own bowl he had. Eli tried to continue to dislike Echolls, but he was making it difficult lately. After everything he had done, he really seemed to actually care for his abuela. He even stopped calling him Paco. Which kind of weirded Eli out, but he figured it was more out of respect of Letty than Eli.

"So what are you and Ronnie doing for New Years?"

"Depends on if she ever gets out of jury duty," Eli shrugged, honestly they hadn't talked about it. He had been busy dealing with his deals with Logan and her working Anissa's case, they really hadn't seen each other.

"I'm throwing a party, if you all want to come." Eli raised a questioning eyebrow, "She's been all mopey since Wallace and your one friend left. I thought maybe she'd want to mingle."

"She might, if you invite Mac and that's it," Eli snorted, "She hates your friends dude, hell I hate your friends." Logan didn't argue the statement, "And your friends hate us."

"They don't—" At Eli's piercing stare, Logan dropped the subject. Eli wasn't about to throw Veronica's business out in front of his abuela, but Logan should have been a little smarter.

"It was nice of you to offer, Logan." His abuela said, shooting Eli a pointed look.

"Yeah." Eli shrugged, "Thanks for the invite." Before anymore was said on the matter Logan's phone rang. Whoever it was Logan wasn't happy to answer.

"Yeah?" He answered, "Now?" Logan got up, his bowl in hand as he went to the kitchen and rinsed it out in the sink. "Fine." He hung up and cast Letty an apologetic look, "I've got to go, apparently Neptune's finest has some questions for me."

Eli shot him a surprised glance, "You want me to call V?"

Logan smiled at the suggestion, but shook his head no, "Nah, I've got this." He told them, before heading out the door. Eli didn't expect to see him until at least the next day.

Eli was woken up in the middle of the night by a loud tapping on his window. Jumping up, he saw Logan's face peering up at him. Confused and half asleep, Eli walked over and opened it, letting the other teen crawl inside. "What the fuck are you doing, man?" Eli yawned, he could smell the booze wafting off Logan's body.

"Someone stole the tapes."

"What are you talking about." The tapes?

"My dad's tapes." Suddenly Eli was very awake.

"You mean the evidence tapes?" The ones of his dead lover…Echolls' dead girlfriend…screwing Echolls' dad. Logan nodded and Eli didn't know what else to say.

"I've got a list of all the staff at the station and their emails." Logan said, pulling a packet of papers from his back pocket. Eli nodded dumbly, unsure of why Echolls' was here telling him this. "I've emailed all of them asking to buy the tapes for 50,000."

"Holy shit, man." Eli said, sitting down. It still amazed him how this kid could fling around money like that.

"Somebody responded." That got Eli's attention, "I'm about to go pick them up."

"So why are you here?" Eli asked, more confused than ever.

Logan shifted, and then rubbed the top of his head, "Because if I go get them, I'm going to watch them and destroy them." He said honestly, and Eli noticed the unshed tears in Logan's eyes, "You know about my dad, what he did to me. I can't let him do this too. I can't let the world see him with her, but if I destroy them he might get away with..."

"What do you want me to do, man?" Eli asked softly. Logan handed him a piece of paper, an address scrawled on it.

"Go get them. Give them to Ronnie to give to her dad." Eli just nodded rubbing the sleep from his eyes, grabbing his jeans off the floor and pulled them on before stepping into his boots.

"Stay here." Eli told him he could smell the booze the moment he had opened the window, no way was Logan driving across town, "You can crash on…that bed." He nodded to Chardo's old bed, stopping himself from saying his cousin's name. Last thing Logan needed was a reminder of another girl who fucked a Navarro. "Just move the shit."

Logan nodded, obviously exhausted, and handed him another piece of paper. It was a check for 50,000 dollars. "Give this to Deputy Leo."

"He stole them?" At Logan's shrug, "You know I can get them without paying right?"

"Yeah, you see Ronnie just stopped hating me," Logan laughed drunkenly, "I'd rather not piss her off again by getting our favorite PCHer arrested." Eli just nodded unsure of what else to say, grabbing his jacket and pocketing the check before heading towards the door.

Deputy Leo was surprised to see Eli there waiting with Logan's check, but handed him the videos just the same. Sheriff Mars was even more surprised when he knocked on the door. "Veronica's not here, Eli. She's still in jury duty." Well this was great, how did he explain to the former Sheriff he had stolen evidence. Evidence that was in his hands, in plain sight, "Is that…?"

"Uh yeah, I didn't…" He handed them to the sheriff quickly, "I found them." He said lamely, and earned himself a suspicious stare. "Somebody I know bought them…"

"Logan." The Sheriff said simply, and at the look of surprise Sheriff Mars continued, "Not many people in Neptune can afford these tapes. So why do you have them?"

"Because I was the most likely not to destroy them." Eli shrugged, "Everyone else wants to protect Lily's reputation."

"And you don't?" Sheriff Mars said skeptically, "If I recall you were one of the one's in love with her back in the day."

"Yeah." Eli laughed, surprising himself and the Sheriff, "I'm also the only one who knew."

"Knew what?"

"The only thing Lily Kane loved was the kind of attention that tape will bring her." Eli told him, "Lily would have released that to TMZ herself without a thought. Logan doesn't need to be protecting Lily from anyone."

"Sounds like you're protecting Logan from her." Eli didn't respond, just shrugged before heading away from the door.

He made it home, quietly sneaking into the house. His room was dark, but the obnoxious yellow vehicle in the driveway, and the lump in Chardo's bed, told him Logan had stayed. He crawled into his bed, suddenly realizing how tired he still was.

"Thanks, dude." Came the soft whisper from the lump formally known as Echolls.

Eli yawned, nodding sleepily, "Yeah, anytime, man." The Sheriff's statement playing on loop in his would he be protecting Echolls from anything? Images of him pulling a gun on Liam and finding his abuela on the floor. He owed Echolls. That was why right? The more Eli thought about it, the more Eli didn't like the truth behind his actions. Eli and that mother fucker were turning into friends.


	51. Chapter 51

Anissa's trial was over, and from what he heard all because of a certain blonde. The 09er boys who attacked Anissa were found guilty, which he assumed was why she pulled up to his house of New Years with _Mucho Gracias Bitch_ written on her windshield. "Hey Eli!" She smiled brightly, as he frowned at the writing, "You have any windex?"

He nodded mutely, before going into the house, and coming back out with cleaner and paper towels. She held out her hand, but he ignored, spraying the window and getting to work. "You got plans tonight, chica?" He asked, as she sat on the curb and watched him clean her car.

"There's this certain biker I'm planning on kissing at midnight." She smirked, making him chuckle, "Why you have plans?" She asked.

"Well…" He said hesitantly. "Logan invited us to—"

"No." She said bluntly, "I'm not going to an 09er end of the year party again." Suddenly Eli felt like an idiot, Shelly Pomroy's party was always for the end of the year too just a couple weeks earlier. "Logan invited you?" She said confused, breaking his train of thought. Ever since his abuela's heart attack they really hadn't had much time to talk.

"Uh yeah, he comes by a lot to see Abuela." He nodded, continuing to scrub away the words on her windshield. She didn't say anything, just sat with a look of deep thought. He stored the image in his head to draw later. After he got done the photo Logan had brought over yesterday. When he was done cleaning off her windshield, he nodded her inside.

The kids were still with Anita, but Eli doubted that would last too much longer as soon as Anita realized they were keeping the house. Not that Eli minded his niece and nephew. His sister just had a habit of dropping them off without notice. For right now, they were alright financially and Eli was trying to keep it that way.

"Is that the Sinclair's?" Veronica gasped walking into the living room to see where he had set up shop. It was the room with the best light, and his Abuela liked watching him work anyway.

"Uh, yeah." Eli said, looking at the easel in front of him. It was almost done, and it was gonna pay for one of his classes next fall. "You like it?"

"It's phenomenal." She murmured, "But why?"

"They're payin' 600 for it." He shrugged uncertainly, and she whirled around to face him, her mouth agape.

"They asked you to draw their family?" She asked, not quite believing it and he laughed shaking his head.

"They asked Logan to get the man who drew his mother's portrait." He told her, "They got no clue." He went to the table and picked one of the album his abuela had made him start, with pictures of all the ones he was selling, flipping to the first one which was of Lynn Echolls laughing and showed her.

"Wow, it looks just like her." Veronica gasped, and Eli smiled at the comment. "You're really amazing, you know that." She turned to face him and pecked him on the lips with a smile.

"Thanks." He blushed, kissing her again but longer and harder. She pulled away and looked around, her cheeks crimson. "What?" He asked highly amused by her reaction.

"Where's your grandma?" She nearly whispered, her eyes darting around and Eli let out a laugh.

"She guilted Logan into taking her to the Flea Market. He made the mistake of saying he'd never go."

"Logan loves the flea market, his mom used to take us when we were younger. He goes every weekend." Veronica frowned and Eli thought about the conversation earlier. His abuela hadn't wanted to go out anywhere lately, and Eli had mentioned the flea market opening. His abuela instantly made excuses, and Logan had plopped down next to her.

_"I don't blame you, you couldn't catch me dead in the place." _His abuela had then scolded Echolls' and suddenly decided she need to get out of the house, they had had her cooped up for too long and Logan could take her.

"He tricked her into leaving the house." Eli murmured, shaking his head with a smile. "Dude's smart."

"Wow, you guys are downright chummy." Veronica said, a weird look on her face that he couldn't quite place, but then it was gone and she was smiling, "So what do you want to do tonight?"

"Well," he grinned, "I got a few suggestions." The innuendo heavy in his tone. "But there's also a party at Juan's." At her frown he continued, "It's gonna be low-key, you can even bring Mac." He rushed.

"If it's shady we can leave?" She asked hesitantly.

"Yep." He nodded with a smile.

She gave a sigh, "Yeah okay. Meet me at my house at 8."

"Where you going?" He asked with a frown as she walked toward the door.

"Well I'm not gonna wear this." She smirked, disappearing and the sound of the door signaling her leave.

He was driving towards Veronica's when he saw a familiar scrawny black kid driving down the street, Eli did a double take before following after him. He pulled up to a house which he assumed was Wallace's, or at least his moms, and turned off his bike and yanked off his helmet as the kid got out of his car.

"Yo." He called out to the kid who had gone MIA at the beginning of the year. "Where you been, man?" Wallace turned around surprised and walked up to him.

"Chicago." He shrugged, "Was living with my dad." Eli nodded, remembering Veronica saying something about that.

"You seen V yet?" He asked, a plan formulating in his brain when the kid shook his head no. "Alright, you're coming to a party tonight." He told him, rambling of Juan's address, "Don't show up til like after 8:30."

"Why?" Wallace asked confused.

"Because V needs the surprise." He shrugged, climbing on his bike to meet Veronica at her house. She eyed him suspiciously when he arrived 10 minutes late, it wasn't like him not to be punctual. "Sorry, lost track of time on that portrait." He excused and she nodded, accepting the excuse and climbing on the back.

She couldn't get a hold of Mac and it had put her in a less than celebratory mood. She smiled at the sight of Norris though, and all the boys were happy to see him asking him where he's been hiding, how's his abuela, and et cetera. Veronica frowned at the punch bowl and solo cups, but smiled as Norris offered her a choice of an unopened beer and an unopened soda, and to Eli's surprise she chose the beer.

They mingled and Veronica got to talking to Juan's girlfriend, Carla. It was almost nine, when Eli stepped away from the party and went to his bike to meet Wallace. He was already here, smiling nervously. "You sure this is straight?" he asked, as Eli led him around the side.

"Yeah, man. Everyone but her knows you're coming." That was the truth, he had filled Norris in when he arrived who had let everyone know that the blonde might go into a squealing fit in three…two…one.

"WALLACE!" Veronica exclaimed bolting towards her best friend, "Oh my god!" She squealed, pulling him into a fierce hug as Eli watched the friends unite with a smile. When Veronica pulled away she smiled at Eli.

"This is why you were late." She accused with a grin, stalking towards him as he nodded with a smile. Suddenly he had his arms full of Veronica, her legs wrapped around him and her lips pressed against his. He kissed her back, enjoying the hoots and hollers he was getting from their audience. She pulled away, her cheeks aflame, and he let her climb down away from him. "Let's get you a beer." Veronica told Wallace, pulling him over towards the drinks, leaving Eli with a smirk on his face.

He left Veronica and Wallace alone to catch up, catching sight of them chattering away. It was almost 11:55 when Veronica snuck up beside him while he was talking Norris, "Hey where's your friend?" He asked, wrapping an arm around her.

Veronica smirked and nodded towards the other direction. He spotted Wallace flirting with some girl he didn't know, thankfully not one of his boys' girlfriends. "Carla brought her friend Luci." She told him, "She'll keep him busy til midnight."

"Damn, maybe Carla's got another friend." Norris laughed.

Veronica smirked, with that 'I know something you don't know face', making Eli laugh and ask, "What?"

"Nothing," She mused, and Eli called her out on it, "Alright, I might have a friend…for Norris." That caught his attention because there was only one girl Veronica hung out with, and Norris actually li-

"You better not be fucking with me." Norris demanded eyes wide, "Mac?!" Veronica almost laughed, as she nodded.

"Yeah I mentioned you had wi-fi and she mentioned you guys sit next to each other in computer lab. Didn't know you were such a hacker by the way." Veronica shrugged innocently, taking a sip of her beer.

"And?!" Norris nearly demanded.

Veronica shrugged, "And I called her an hour ago and mentioned you we here." She nodded to the gate where Mac was making her way awkwardly toward the party. Norris wasted no time heading to meet her. Eli laughed at that.

"What, are you playing match maker now?" He teased her.

Veronica smiled up at him, "Yeah, next I need to find a girl for Logan." Eli couldn't help but nod in agreement. As close as he and Logan had become, it was obvious he still held a torch for Veronica.

"TEN!" Juan shouted, as ever body moved around finding who they wanted to start the New Year with. Eli smiled as they stayed still, already together.

"NINE!" More voices joined in, and Veronica smiled brightly looking around.

"EIGHT!" Wallace was whispering something to the Luci girl who was giggling softly.

"SEVEN!" Norris was walking Mac toward the crowd, saying something that Eli couldn't hear, but Mac was grinning and blushing so he assumed it was good.

"SIX!" Juan had Carla on his lap and he nodded toward Eli in respect when he saw his eyes fell on him.

"FIVE!" The blonde in front of him was nearly bouncing in excitement, here bright smile infectious.

"FOUR!" Eli leaned forward, murmuring _Te Amo_ in her ear, as wrapped her arms loosely around his neck.

"THREE!" She replied softly, _Je t'aime_, and he nearly shivered. Usually the foreign endearments were his thing, hearing them from someone else made him realize how hot it was.

"TWO!" The both couldn't wait, his lips her hers. Both of them clinging to each other, never wanting to let go.

"ONE!" Eli couldn't think of a better way to bring in the new year.


	52. Chapter 52

"Hey can I talk to you for a minute, man?" Wallace asked walking up to where Eli was parked into the parking lot.

"Uh, yeah." Eli said confused. Wallace was acting shifty, and he wasn't sure how to respond to that. "What's up man?"

Wallace looked around, "Can I like meet you at your house. I don't want to talk about it here." What had the scrawny black kid gotten himself into now?

"Yeah, I'm heading there now." He told him.

"Alright, I'll meet you there." He went towards wherever he had parked before turning back to him, "Oh and Weevil?" Eli raised an eyebrow, "Don't tell V about this, okay?" Oh god what did he do.

Eli beat Wallace to his house, so he walked inside to let his abuela and Anna, the care taker knows he was stopping buy. Soon after, there was a knock on the door and Eli opened to see the guilty looking teen. He led him back towards his room without a word, closing the door behind him.

Eli's room had more turned into a storage area of all the family portraits Logan had yet to deliver. Wallace was eyeing the ones propped up on the spare bed. "You running an art theft ring or something?" He asked jokingly, but confusion obvious on his face.

"Or something," He grunted, not really feeling like explaining the business operation Logan and him had seemed to open up. "So why not you tell me what's up?" And he did. And the story he weaved was not anything he had been expecting, "Didn't you learn anything from when I taped you to the flag pole?" Eli scoffed.

"What does this even have to do-"

"You're about to snitch on the Rashard kid, ain't you?" Eli asked.

"He hit a homeless man." Wallace argued, clearly getting upset at the statement.

"Yeah and from what you've told me he's rolling in dough." Eli said simply, "Let me guess the other two in the car are rich too?" Wallace nodded hesitantly, "And what's your zipcode? 03? 04, maybe?"

"So what?"

"So you got two options, you got plan V," he smirked, "Where this little blonde angel on your shoulder tells you to do the right thing, and tell your story. Probably in some grand public way, newspaper? "He shrugged, thinking of how Veronica would handle the situation, "Meanwhile Daddy Warbucks hears your story, writes a few checks and they come out with a different tale. One where Rashard is the innocent rich boy and the kid from the wrong side of the middle class was driving. Then the mission turns into keeping your ass out of jail." Wallace looked like he was about to say something but Eli continued, "Or we can go with plan E. A lot simpler. A lot quicker. And-"

Before he could finish Logan burst through the door, "Hey, Weevs, let me get the Pomroy's and—Ronnie's Houdini friend, uh, hey." Logan said in greeting as he caught the look of shock etched on Wallace's face, but then turned back to Eli, "I need to get the Pomroy's and the Bishop's, I'll drop them off on my way home." Eli nodded getting up and walking over to the finished portraits, leafing through them and pulling out the two Logan requested, which had been temporarily framed. Logan had gotten him set up with all the supplies and customer base, Eli had protested at first, but Logan shot him down, _"It's not charity, it's business, legal business._"Logan let out a whistle when he saw the finished project. "You're getting even better man. Soon you won't even need classes."

Both boys looked towards the door, to Wallace's disbelief and amusement, while Eli said, "Don't let Abuela hear you say that, this is to pay for classes remember." It was gonna pay for more than classes Eli was soon beginning to realize.

"You got time for another by Tuesday?" Logan asked.

Eli groaned it was Friday, "This Tuesday? I still got to finish Enbom's and the Casablanca's Laker Girl." And he had to help Wallace. "What of?" Logan held out a photo of some smiling rich white girl. "No chance of them wanting an 8x11?" Logan laughed, everyone wanted the big portraits. The 09ers always bought big.

"They'll pay extra if you can have it done by Tuesday."

"How much?"

"8 total." That was 200 extra dollars, Eli agreed putting the photo on his desk.

"_You _drew all these." Wallace said impressed, "Veronica said you could draw, man, but holy shit."

"Yeah not as profitable as an art theft ring, but it pays." Eli laughed as Wallace looked slightly abashed at his previous statements, and Logan looked highly amused at the whole situation.

"So what brings you here anyway?" Logan asked, and at the guilty look that spread across Wallace's face. Logan's grin spread. "Are we conspiring, gentlemen?" He made a motion at his face as if he was curling a mustache evilly. Eli rolled his eyes at his antics, putting the two portraits in a canvas bag to keep them safe.

"What brings you here?" Wallace retorted, "When I left you were still hating each other. Actually you were accusing him of murder." He said pointedly to Eli, but both just shrugged. "I came back to the twilight zone." He muttered and shaking his head.

Then Eli had an idea, "Hey, Logan you ever been to Chicago?" Wallace gave him a deer in headlights look and Logan gave him a confused one before shaking his head no.

"I thought we were keeping this between us." Wallace interrupted, hesitant to tell anyone else about the hit and run.

"You said don't tell, V." Eli said pointedly.

Logan looked like the cat that ate the canary as he made himself comfortable on Eli's bed. "What'd Wally do?" He asked. Eli filled him in on the cliff notes version, and as he began to fill them both in on his Plan E. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Logan grinned.

Eli smirked, "We got to go to White Castle."

Eli was in the passenger seat of Logan's X-Terra, Wallace in the back. "So what did you tell V?"

"Boys night." Eli shrugged, and Logan gave him an incredulous look.

"And she didn't ask?"

"Said something like '_Don't tell me, that way I can't testify against you'._" He chuckled.

Wallace groaned, "So much for her not being suspicious."

"Oh like she doesn't already know everything." Logan scoffed, "Girl's too nosy for her own good." Eli gave a little snort while nodding and Wallace downright laughed in agreement. "You wanna know something funny?"

"What?" Wallace asked, and Eli simply raised an eyebrow.

"Ronnie." Logan said, "She used to hate mysteries. I mean, despised them. No Nancy Drew books, or movies. Hell getting her to play Clue was a hassle. She was always the romantic. Now she can't get her fill of this 'whodunit' game." He shrugged as no one said anything, "Just never really understood it."

"Cuz she's art, man." Eli muttered, and instantly he wanted to kick himself for saying what he always thought.

"Que?" Logan questioned, "What do you mean by that?"

"You know," Eli shrugged, "Art imitates life. She was a romantic when her life was romantic. She was a detective when her world became a murder mystery."

"Good theory, but she solved Lily's murder and she's in love with you, so why doesn't she go back to being a romantic." Logan pointed out.

"Maybe she would have." Elli shrugged, "If Hector hadn't been killed. If the bus hadn't crashed. There's a lot of what ifs in this world man."

"What if Lily hadn't died." Logan said softly.

"What if I never went to Chicago." Wallace added on.

"What if I hadn't met V outside the Sheriff's station." Eli shrugged, it was something he thought about a lot. What his life would be like without her by his side.

"In a world of what ifs," Logan mused, "What do you think that Neptune looks like."

Eli frowned, "I'd be on my way to jail or worse. V's kinda my saving grace if you hadn't noticed." Logan and Wallace both nodded in agreement and Eli thought the conversation would finally be done.

"Where do you think I'd be?" Logan asked, and Eli laughed out right, "What?"

"Really, you don't think I don't know exactly where you'd be if I wasn't in the picture." Eli snorted and even Wallace gave a chuckle.

"What?" Logan said confused.

"You'd be with Veronica." Eli said pointedly, but the smile on his face left Logan know that it was okay. "Which is why I'm happy with this world, and you can keep your what ifs, man."

"This world's better." Logan finally said after a long bout of silence. "Veronica and I would have been a train wreck."


	53. Chapter 53

A/N: Hey guys, I know this is a little out of order but reviewer Cody101 gave me the idea and it was too genius. Oh, and over the next week I'm on vacation at the beach so my posts might be more sporadic than usual. I'll try to keep it up regularly like always, but with the beach calling my name...

It had been a week since Eli had saved Wallace's ass. The three of them had made it to White Castle, and tracked down the drive thru clerk that had been working the night Rashard had hit the homeless man. After Logan flashed some cash and Eli intimidated the fuck out of him, they had walked out with a statement and the tapes to prove Rashard was driving. Now Wallace was free to come clean about what had happened and Eli was free to work on the portraits he needed to finish. Or so he thought.

"What is that?" Eli demanded eyes wide, as Veronica walked in a frown on her face and crying bundle in her arms. "Is that a baby?!"

"No. It's a demon." She huffed, tossing it at him and Eli rushed to catch it.

"Jesus fucking Christ, V!" Eli exclaimed, thankful Anna had taken his grandmother to visit Mrs. Toombs, who would be a grandma herself any day now, not that she knew; Felix and Molly were still weary of the remaining Fitzpatrick's even with Liam and Danny Boyd locked up for 15 years. Eli's attention was still on the baby Veronica had just thrown at him, but when he felt it in his arms he realized it was too still and heavy to be a real baby. "What the fuck is this?" He asked again, but this time even more confused.

"My future apparently." Veronica huffed, "I'm supposed to take care of it, and give it it's fake bottle but I lost the fake bottle somewhere, and it won't stop!" She exclaimed, gesturing at the wailing device.

"Did you take the batteries-"

"I can't!" She cried, "Or I fail. And then I won't have an A. And then I lose the Kane Scholarship." She looked like she was about to hyperventilate or cry, maybe both and that was the last thing he wanted. He glanced down at the doll and noticed the mouth had a piece of metal inside of it, where you know doubt stuck the fake bottle.

"Did the bottle have a metal tip? Or was it just a plastic one?"

Veronica blinked, "A metal tip I think." Eli nodded and walked over to the hutch where they kept random odds and ends. It only took him a couple minutes to find a small allen key and slipped it into the dolls mouth and it suddenly made the sound of a slurping baby. Veronica's eyes widened, "You fixed it!"

"Yeah, you just need to touch metal to the sensor." He shrugged, "Aren't you supposed to have a partner for this?"

As if the universe had heard him, Logan Echolls waltzed in and called out, "Lucy I'm home." A fake baby bottle in his hand.

Veronica groaned, but then her eyes narrowed in on the bottle, "Where did you get that?" She nearly hissed.

"Well when you stormed out of class in a huff you left it behind." He grinned, "But I see you got another to take care of Logan Jr."

"Like I told you, I'd rather do the project alone." She told him with a huff.

"You really got an odd definition of alone." Logan nodded at Eli with a grin, before throwing him the bottle, which Eli traded the allen key for. "And he's not even in the class."

"Well if you hadn't of taken the bottle—"

"You left the bottle on the desk!" Logan exclaimed, and Eli rolled his eyes as the doll stopped the slurping noise and Eli thought it was safe to remove the bottle. Unfortunately the doll once again began screaming, this time not stopping for the bottle.

"What now?" Eli groaned, this was not how he had pictured his afternoon. He was gonna work on some portraits and relax, but it seems anything productive he planned on doing was not happening any longer.

"Try burping it." Veronica said before turning it back to her argument. "I told you, I didn't want to be partners. Corny and Carrie Bishop were both absent, you could have done one day of single parenting." Eli had the doll on his shoulder and was patting it awkwardly on the back while it made cooing noises, which was a little better than the screaming wail.

"Yeah but obviously you couldn't." He smirked and the doll 'burped' and Eli felt safe in just holding it, praying it would stay quiet this time. "I mean look, you even got yourself a nanny." Eli tried to send a threatening glare, but it didn't work, no matter how many tattoos you had, if you were cradling a baby doll.

Eli finally got up and shoved the baby at Logan, "You two have fun." And he walked over to wear his easel was set up and the paper for his next project was already up. Logan and Veronica continued to bicker, as Eli tried to concentrate on the picture paper clipped to the top of his blank paper.

"You're unbelievable!" Veronica screeched.

"You're the one making a big deal out of this." Logan snapped back and Eli dropped his head in defeat. He wasn't getting any work done today.

"Why can't you get it through your head, Logan!" Veronica hissed, "I don't want to do _anything_ that has to do with you!" Eli's eyes widened as Logan remained silent, looking as if he had been slapped.

"I thought we had gotten past all that?" Logan said softly.

"Past it? Past what? Everything you did before last summer or everything after?" she closed her eyes, as if trying to reign in her emotions, and then looked back up at him, "I don't know what your motive was, making us be partners-"

"Motive? You say it like I'm out to get you!" Logan exclaimed.

"Aren't you?" Veronica shot back. "Or was I supposed to magically forgive you because you grew a conscious again. Doesn't matter you're the reason that after my best friend died, all my other friend's shunned me. Or that you had god knows how many guys lick salt off my unconscious body." Her voice got higher, and tears began to leak out her eyes as Eli rose from his seat unsure of what else to do, "Or the fact that you were the one that drugged Duncan. You're the reason he-" Veronica stopped herself.

"You forgave me last year." Logan said pathetically. And Eli honestly felt bad for him, but the crying blonde closer to him was worrying him even more. Logan and her weren't friends, but he thought she had forgiven Echolls as well. Eli was the one who was so stubborn about it.

"I gave you a chance." She corrected, "And to prove you weren't a complete psycho you torched some community pools, showed up at my house belligerent drunk, and then when I dumped you you freaked out on me. I don't fucking trust you Echolls." Eli and Logan both winced , the girl was channeling the Weevil rage.

Eli made to move towards her and tried to pull her into his arms in an attempt to calm her, soothe her, but she wrenched away turning the accusing glare towards him instead. "And you?" She hissed, and he was astonished, how was this going to be turned on him? "How could _you_ forgive _him_." Before he had a chance to answer she was out the door and he heard her car start up and peel out.

"What the fuck just happened?" Eli asked Logan, who had been staring where Veronica had been staring, his jaw slack and looking as if his world was falling apart.

"I happened." Logan said softly, a hitch in his voice. Eli didn't know what to say, but like Veronica he rushed out of the house before Eli could open his mouth. Eli stood in the middle of his living room, more confused than ever. Not sure which person to chase after first. Which was closer to the edge?

Suddenly the wailing of a child filled the room and Eli groaned. Of course they left the fucking doll.


	54. Chapter 54

A/N: Sorry for the long delay, vacation with a toddler and infant (even when they're not yours) is just work. Oh and when your ex's entire family shows up...this is the most interesting vacation I've ever had, lol. So be patient with me, because I'd so would rather be working on this than dealing with that.

Eli knew that if Veronica got less than an A on the baby assignment she'd loose her Kane scholarship, and Eli wasn't exactly why she was so pressed on the scholarship he knew she had her college savings still, after he had convinced her not to waste it on her mom, and he had heard her dad got a pretty nice payday from finding the Kane kid last year. But if it was important to Veronica, then he wasn't going to let her fail because she was having a meltdown.

So after he played house with the doll for over an hour and got it to shut the fuck up, he emptied his back pack, put the thing inside and headed out the door. He hoped to god it wasn't crying again while he rode his bike over to Veronica's apartment, but he couldn't hear anything over the engine.

When he got there, he took it out of his back pack, thinking that Veronica probably wouldn't like that too much, and walked up the stairs towards Veronica's door. He knocked on the door, doll in arms, only to be greeted by a perplexed looking sheriff.

"Eli?" He said hesitantly.

"Sheriff." He responded, "V here?"

"No she took Backup for a walk down the beach." He answered, "Is there a reason you have a baby doll?"

"It's V's homework, she left it at my place." Eli explained, and the Sheriff moved to let him inside to wait.

"Doesn't sound like my daughter to just dump an assignment." The Sheriff observed as they sat at the table doll awkwardly cradled in Eli's arms.

"Yeah well, she was paired with Echolls." That was all Eli needed to say for the sheriff to nod.

"I never liked that kid." He muttered, and when Eli didn't jump to agree he continued, "I know you and him are on better terms now." Eli shrugged, "Guess Veronica's not too happy about it."

Eli chuckled, "That's putting it lightly." The doll started crying and Eli had half a mind to through it at the wall, but Veronica's grade in mind he just fished the damn bottle out of the back pack and stuck it in the dolls mouth. "This is why I took autoshop." Eli muttered. "No stupid doll projects."

"You don't think you need the practice." The sheriff said.

Eli laughed at that, "I've already done this project for 7 years. I was 11 when Ophelia was born, my sister disappeared after having her, you know. Abuela stepped in like always, but she had to work more." The sheriff nodded, interested in his story so Eli found himself continuing, "I would watch her every day after school until she got home, a year later Anita drops off Julio when he's only a couple weeks old. Abuela works more hours, now at 12 I'm watching an infant and a one year old I already had been watching. But instead of til 6, until 10."

The sheriff seemed to mull something over before saying, "When I picked you up the first time you were twelve. They weren't living with you then." Leave it to the sheriff to remember back that far.

"Nah, that was a couple days after Anita came to take them. She does that sometimes." He frowned, that's where they were now with his deadbeat of a sister. "She took them for about a year that time. We got Julio back first that time." Eli frowned, Ophelia had to be tracked down and they had thankfully found her safe at her paternal grandparents. "Six months later we got Ophelia back." When her grandmother died and the grandfather didn't want to deal with the toddler, however Eli at 13 was happy to. "Then she didn't come back around til last year. And when Abuela got sick."

The sheriff nodded in understanding, "You miss them?" He noted.

Eli just nodded, "Yeah, but at least for right now I know somebody's taking care of them. They'll be back when they need me." Part of Eli was thankful he didn't have to worry about two extra mouths at the moment, but then the other part of him felt guilty for even thinking that way. They were family. They were his responsibility.

There was an uncomfortable silence that fell over them, until Sheriff Mars changed the subject completely, "Have you heard back from any schools yet?"

"No still waiting." It was a lie, hidden in his room he had an unpleasantly thin envelope addressed to him from San Jose. And thin didn't mean he got in. Veronica had been saying it all year, _"If it's fat, then start to pack. But if it's thin you didn't get in."_ He was too afraid to open it, so he was waiting for the others first.

"Well there's still a couple weeks til they're expected to come in." The Sheriff reassured him, and Eli just nodded. "How's your grandma?"

"Good," Eli nodded, "She's doing a lot better than expected." It was true, she was more active than the doctors had thought she'd be after the heart attack.

"That's good to hear. She's lucky she's got you looking out for her." The compliment was unexpected, and Eli let go of the baby bottle only for the doll to begin to wail again. Eli flipped the doll over and patted it back while feeling like a complete fool, "Wow, you really do know what you're doing."

"Yeah," Eli laughed at the comment, "At least when I have kids-" Eli stopped as the Sheriff rose an eyebrow, "Not that I plan to have kids."

"Most kids aren't planned." He said pointedly.

"Yeah well, you don't have to worry about that." Eli tried to reassure, but felt like this conversation was far from over and he was starting to wonder if he should have stayed home and waited for Veronica to track down her doll.

"Well unless you're secretly a girl, I'm going to worry about it." The sheriff scoffed, "You think I don't remember arresting you in ninth grade?" Eli winced, he had been picked up with Marcia Rodriguez with his pants around his ankles behind the school's football field.

"Does V…"

"I didn't tell her." Sheriff Mars cut him off, "But now you see why I worry, I know you're no virgin."

Eli nodded, "Me and V aren't…we haven't…" Eli rubbed the back of his head, this wasn't what he wanted to be doing tonight at all. However the sheriff seemed to be giving him a look of disbelief, "Believe me Veronica and I have only kissed. I swear. She's not like that."

The sheriff nodded, but before he could say anything else Veronica walked in with Backup and Eli nearly oozed relief. "I thought we talked about interrogating the boyfriend." She said to her father, and noticed the doll in Eli's lap, "I was about to call you to see if Logan took it with him."

"He did not." Eli said, standing and handing it to her, "But you should still be okay, I made sure it didn't cry for long." She looked up at him with an unreadable expression on his face. The sheriff quietly removed himself from the equation, stepping into the other room. "You okay?"

"Yeah," She nodded vigorously, "I'm sorry I was a bitch earlier." He raised an eyebrow at the submission of guilt, it just wasn't her style.

"You want to talk about it?" He pressed. She bit her lip, and looked around the room as if she might find the answer in there. "I know you've got every reason to hate Logan." She looked at him again, "But I got to admit, I thought when you dated him last year that meant you didn't hate him."

She sighed, "I don't." And Eli gave her a look of disbelief. "I just...I don't know, it was easier to like him when you were hating him for me. You never let him forget what he did…" She whispered the last part, "Now with you guys being friends…if you forgave him then it's forgotten."

Eli nodded slightly, pulling her to him, "I didn't forgive Logan." He told her, "But he's helped my abuela…"

"I know." She nodded with a sigh, "And I don't want to mess up whatever dynamic you guys have going." She groaned. "I'm just not used to it yet. And with the Kane's trying to take away the scholarship, I'm just stressed." Wait, what?

"You're going to be Valedictorian…they can't take away your scholarship." He said confused and at the look that crossed her face he knew there was something she wasn't telling him. "What am I missing, V?"

"They can because I signed away any rights to the Kane fortune last year before I found out I wasn't related to them." She admitted, and Eli's jaw dropped.

"What the hell made you do that?" He nearly gasped. She hesitated, obviously not wanting to say, "What did they threaten you or something?"

"Does it matter?" She finally asked, "I've got enough saved for college anyway."

"Just tell me what they did to make you agree to something like that." He responded.

"They dropped the charges for your B&E." She shrugged as if it was no big deal, and Eli froze.

"Why would you do that?" He finally gasped out and she gave him an incredulous look.

"Because I love you and I would rather have you in my life than anything they paid for." Eli didn't know what to say, so he just kissed her. Hard and passionate, clinging to her. He didn't deserve this girl, but he wasn't ever letting her go.

"I love you too, V." He whispered on her lips. Nothing could ruin the moment, Eli thought until a wail filled the room…except for that fucking doll.


	55. Chapter 55

A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the wait. My vacation came to a depressing end when I had to rush home for a friends viewing and I just haven't been in the mood to write. But I'm back and I have plenty to come, so here's a little taste.

Logan had been MIA for a couple days, and Eli was starting to regret not hunting him down after he had talked to Veronica the other night. He figured he needed his space, maybe chill with his 09er friends, but after three days of him nowhere to be found, not even at school Eli decided to hunt him down.

He didn't have to look far, the teen was holed up in his house. Drunk. "What do you want?" He slurred when Eli let himself in and found Logan sprawled on the bed in only his boxers in his pool house.

"What are you doing, man?" Eli sighed, noting the empty bottles sprawled on the floor. "Trying to drown yourself?"

"You know this is where he did it?" Logan asked hollowly.

"Who did what?" Eli asked, starting to pick up the empty bottles and tossing them into the trashcan by the bar. Eli noted that Logan obviously hadn't hired another caretaker.

"My dad." Logan spat. "This is where he fucked my girlfriend. And taped it." Jesus Christ.

"Okay get up," He demanded, taking Logan by the shoulders and hauling him out of the bed. He didn't stop there, he helped the stumbling teen through the sliding door.

"Uhg it's too fucking bright." Logan moaned, squinting in the sunlight.

"No, you're too fucking drunk." Eli told him as he led him towards the house, Logan clinging to him and his eyes dropping closed making Eli half carry his drunk ass. Once they got inside, he found the closest bathroom and turned the water on cold and shoved him in.

"What the fuck man!" Logan shouted from the floor, suddenly more awake than he had been.

"You needed to sober up." Eli shrugged, turning around to find him a towel. "You're staying in there until you can walk on your own." He sat on the toilet lid watching as Logan kind of slumped forward and the rubbed his wet head. He blinked a few times and then looked at Eli. The first thing Eli thought of was a stray puppy caught in the rain, but Eli shook that pansy ass thought from his brain. "You okay?"

Logan just laughed, and pulled himself off the ground. He swayed slightly as he stepped out of the shower and Eli found himself grabbing Logan's arm to steady him. "Why are you here? Letty send you to check up on me?"

"No, you just haven't been around the house in a while." Eli muttered, not wanting to admit he had been a little worried for the boy's wellbeing.

"Aw Weevil, don't start caring now. You might lose your street cred." Logan laughed bitterly, and Eli found himself getting annoyed.

"Shut up, man. I wouldn't be here if I hadn't already fucking cared." He grumbled and Logan didn't respond, "You need to stop doing this, man." Eli tossed a towel at his face.

"Doing what, remembering?" Logan asked.

"No, wallowing." Eli sighed, "I know you got dealt a shit hand, but you can't drown yourself." Logan fell silent again, and dried his hair, before Eli walked out of the bathroom the sound of Logan's footsteps telling Eli he was following.

Eli went into the kitchen, but upon opening the fridge it was obvious he was only going to find booze in the house. Instead he grabbed Logan's keys and headed for the door. "Uh, what are you doing there, Paco?"

"Well, you can't fucking drive it." Eli retorted, "I'm gonna see if there's a way to load my bike in the back. Go get dressed and pack some clothes, man."

"Don't scratch my paint." Logan muttered, but followed orders and wandered upstairs.

Eli went out, but soon realized his bike was going to be staying behind, since he wasn't about to let Logan help him load his bike and risk fucking it up. So instead he moved his bike into the garage, which was wide open, and shut the doors behind him before going inside to lock up the rest of the house.

Logan staggered back downstairs after a few minutes, backpack and duffel bag in hand. Eli nodded to him, and they headed out the door and to the car. Eli felt ridiculous behind the wheel of the yellow X-Terra, but easily navigated across town towards home. He parked in the driveway, instead of on the street where Logan usually parked.

His abuela didn't say anything as he led Logan into the house and into his room. It didn't take Eli long to clear of Chardo's old bed of portraits and supplies. Logan collapsed onto it as soon as there was enough room, and grunted something like thanks before falling asleep. Eli began to move storage boxes of art supplies into the hall, and the few portraits he needed to deliver.

His abuela watched him cart everything into Ophelia and Julio's room, which had been untouched waiting for their return. Except, for once, Anita met a nice guy who liked kids. For once, Eli wasn't sure if they were coming back to live with him. He tried to ignore the hollow feeling in his chest, as he continued to move his work space from his room to theirs.

When he was done, he went to grab his phone from his pocket and froze to find it missing. It must have fallen out at Logan's. He walked out to the kitchen and picked up the landline. He called up Norris, asking him to swing buy and pick him up to take him back to the Echolls' estate.

It didn't take him long to get there, and as soon as he got in Norris' dad's car he was asked, "So why am I taking you to Echolls' if he's here?"

"Cuz he's a passed out drunk and I need my bike." Eli shrugged, as they drove back across town.

"So you thought about who you're passing down to?" Norris asked. Eli frowned, honestly he had yet to think about it. He had been neglecting his PCHer duties and he had a lot of pledges trying to prove themselves and he hadn't been noticing.

"Not that Arturo fool." He muttered, and Norris chuckled at that with a nod.

"They want Juan to repeat senior year." Norris informed, and Eli raised an eyebrow at that.

"What's he doing about that?"

"He's gonna do it." Eli nodded. That made things a lot simpler, he couldn't announce anything until after graduation, but he'd have no problem handing over his title to Juan. "Hey, so what do you think of that Casablancas' kid?" Norris asked randomly, catching Eli off guard.

"Dick?" Eli asked.

"No the other one." Norris said, "You know anything about him?"

Eli mulled it over, he never gave the kid much thought, "Dick tried to get him to rape V, but he didn't."

"When? At that party?" Norris asked, recalling when they had gotten Tad to tell them about the GHB. He would never tell Veronica, but most of the PCHers are overly protective of her because they had been their when Tad said she had been raped. Hell, most of the guys would just text him if they saw her in passing or out at night on a case. He wasn't going to tell her that either. "So, he's an okay guy?"

Eli shrugged, thinking back to the young Casablancas', "Cervando didn't like him." He recalled, "Why you askin', man?"

"Mac's been hanging out with him." Eli laughed at that, Norris and Mac had been hanging out since New Year's. "Why didn't Cervando like him, they used to be buddies."

"What are you talking about man?" Eli laughed, "Right before the bus crash, Cervando slammed that kid into a locker claiming he was a 'twisted fuck' or some shit."

Norris frowned, "We were all in little league together, man. Him and Cassidy used to always hang out after practice and shit." He shrugged, "Kid just weirds me out."

Eli didn't know what to say, but luckily they pulled up to Echolls' estate and he didn't have to say anything. Norris dropped him off and Eli pulled out Logan's keys and let himself in to search for his phone. After no luck, he picked up one of their many phones and dialed his number.

He heard it ringing and followed the sound to the hallway and found it by one of the doors he had locked earlier. He hung up the handheld receiver and grabbed his cell about to put in his pocket when something made him freeze.

The number of the missed call from finding his phone was familiar. It had only called him once before but he had made a point to memorize it. It was the number that had called him to tell him about Curly Moran.


	56. Chapter 56

Eli found himself at Veronica's doorstep, instead of his own house where he had intended to go. He knocked regardless, and she greeted him with a confused smile, which faded into a frown when she saw his conflicted expression. "Everything okay?" She asked, letting him in.

"You know how I told you about that tip about Curly Moran?" He asked, and at her nod he continued, "It came from Echolls'." He was shaking with anger. He had planned on going and waking Logan up, demanding answers. Beating them out of him if he had to. Did he know this whole time?

"What do you mean it came from Logan?" She asked hesitantly.

"The phone number is from his house." Eli told her, then explaining how he had gone to look for his phone. Veronica frowned, thinking about the information, "He hates his dad, he would have tipped me off if he thought his dad was after you." Eli said, it made sense…kind of.

"Do you remember the date and time of the first call?" She asked, and at the shake of her head she led him over to her computer. He watched as she pulled up his phone records easily, "What's the number?" He repeated it to her and she typed it in and two calls popped up, the one from today and the one from Saturday September 24th at 9:33pm. "Wait a minute." She murmured, "Why is that date familiar?" Eli didn't have to answer, "Logan threw a party that night, that Life's Short party, remember?"

Eli remembered the fliers that practically carpeted the hallway that week. "So, that means anyone in the 09 could have made that call."

"Along with some wannabes." She shrugged, "I'm sure Logan would have told us by now if he knew who blew up the bus." Eli nodded, all his unfound anger resolved. "Still doesn't answer who would call you to tell you about Curly, especially if it was an 09er." She frowned. He didn't say anything, just rubbed his bald head with a sigh. They hadn't gotten any closer to finding anything. "Curly worked for the Casablancas."

"What?" Eli asked, being new news to him, "What do you mean?"

"As a mechanic." She shrugged, "something I noticed in the interrogation tapes…Woody Goodman told Gia not to get on the bus too."

"You think Goodman knew?" That dude was mayor, Eli thought, there's no way he'd…his thought trailed off as Veronica shook her head with a frown.

"I don't think anything right now." She told him. "Right now it's just a compilation of random facts." She looked up at him with a look that instantly told him they would be getting into trouble.

"What do you need me to do?" He sighed.

"Well, I was already planning on going…" She hesitated, and he liked the sound of that even less, "But you can come with me."

"Where?"

"The bus."

Eli felt like they were breaking into a tomb. The warehouse that kept the remains was dark and it smelled damp. They walked on to the bus and the eeriness sunk deep into his bones. Veronica wasted no time flashing her camera, taking pictures of everything. He wondered if it made it easier to see this through a lens, if it made her feel better.

He stood in the spot he had begged Veronica to get off the bus, and back at the spot he had nodded at Cervando to stay behind. The spot where Cervando died. He doesn't know how long he stared, but he nearly jumped when Veronica grabbed his hand, "We can go." She told him, camera in hand. He nodded numbly, following her back to the LeBaron she had parked down the street.

They drove in silence back to the Inn, and when she parked neither of them made a move to get out of the car. "Thank you." She murmured.

"For what, chica?" He asked, turning to look at her.

"For saving my life." She whispered.

Eli put a hand on her cheek and made her look at him, "What are you talking about, querida?"

Her eyes were brimming with tears, and she picked up her camera turned it on and showed him one of the pictures she had taken. It was a drawing on the back of a seat of nine coffins and the words 'I AM GOD' scrawled on it. "Eight kids died on the bus. I was supposed to be the ninth."

Eli handed her the camera and got out of the car. He couldn't breathe, he knew it had been close but the proof, the fact it had been planned. Veronica got out the car to ask him but if he was okay, but he walked up to her silencing her with a kiss. "I will always save you." He murmured against her lips, his hands getting lost in her hair as he kissed her again. "I will never let you go."

She clung to him, and he kissed her with such need, he thought he would lose himself in her. His hands trailed down her back and to her hips and he yanked him towards her and he found himself leaning her over the hood of his car, their lips never parting. His hands went to the waist of her jeans, his fingers tracing down her thighs and her body froze. Her hands that had been pulling suddenly pushed in panic and Eli all but threw himself off of her.

"Sorry," They said in unison. And Eli frowned, "Don't apologize to me, chica." He told her. He knew better, she had been through so much, snail speed was the only way their relationship moved in. And for a split second he had pictured himself caring her upstairs and into her room to have his way. "I got carried away."

She blushed, "I want to you know." Eli raised an eyebrow, not daring to confirm what he thought he knew. "I want to have sex with you…eventually." She told him point blank. "Just every time I get close, I think about…" He stopped her with a kiss, not wanting her to dwell on that Duncan Kane fuck.

"Don't even worry about it," He told her softly, pulling her close to him, burying his face in her neck, taking in the smell of vanilla shampoo and the intoxicating scent that was just Veronica. "I'm in no rush, we've got forever." She pulled back smiling, giving him a firm kiss on the lips.

"I love you." She told him.

"I love you too." He reassured her, letting her pull away and walk towards her apartment. For her…he'd wait forever.


	57. Chapter 57

Terrance Cook was a suspect in the bus crash. It blew Eli's mind, what did the famous baseball player have to do with any of this? He knew his kid just started Neptune this year and apparently he was sleeping with Ms. Dumass, the journalism teacher that died in the crash, and refused to give an alibi. Now Eli knew plenty of men who had been scorned and went off the deep end, but Terrance Cook? That just seemed too farfetched.

He didn't have much time to think about it, as the Senior Carnival came up. Veronica was working it for extra credit and he had agreed to take her before her shift. It was something he usually took Ophelia to, just the two of them, but this year when it was his class throwing it Ophelia was happy in Santa Barbara. At least with Veronica on his arm, he could forget about the bitter taste the carnival left.

He ended up winning a stuffed animal from a basketball game and gave it to Veronica. She named it Vato, claiming it was after him, while teasing him for his display of machoism. As he was heading for the exit, after leaving Veronica at the slushie stand for her shift, he noticed Logan skulking nearby, adding booze from a flask to his slushie had.

"Whatcha doin', dude?" He asked, plopping down in the bench seat beside Logan, startling the kid out of his thoughts.

"Just watching the festivities." He said blandly. "Where's Veronica, I saw you all doing the nauseating couples stroll earlier." Nodding at passing couples holding hands and giggling. Eli frowned as he spotted Mac amongst them, but her hand clutched in Cassidy Casablancas', not Norris'.

"She's working slushies." Eli shrugged, and his eyes fell on a booth of junior girls that were running the Frog Pad game. Eli smirked as he came up with an idea, "Hey, go over there and win something from that."

"You want me to win you a prize? I don't know, Paco, Ronnie might get the wrong idea." Logan joked, but looked confused nonetheless.

"No, you're going to give it to the blonde." Eli told him, smiling as Logan's head snapped over to the booth. The strawberry blonde was exactly Logan's type, Eli knew that for a fact because…well it was his type too. "Just walk over there, act a fool and have her show you how to play. Then win her a bear or something."

"You giving me tips now, dude?" Logan asked, but his eyes didn't leave the girl behind the booth.

"I'm giving you hook, line, and sinker, man." Eli laughed, "Now get." He shoved Logan's shoulder, and he obliged slowly wandering over to the game. Eli nodded in satisfaction before getting up to head out. As he was walking, he noticed something odd. Security had begun to block off most of the exits, causing everyone to leave through the metal detectors.

He slowed his stride, and glanced around spotting Norris leaning up against concession stand, a sour look on his face. "What's going on?" Eli asked, leaning beside him, watching the crowd.

"Mac's dating Cassidy."

"What?" He had seen the hand holding, but dating? "I thought you guys were…"

"We were," Norris shrugged, "Until I told her to stay away from the kid." Eli winced, it was never a good idea to tell your girl not to hang out with somebody. Another group of security guards moved passed, and Eli frowned. Something was going down.

"You know what's going on with that?"

Norris frowned shaking his head, but Eli didn't have to wander long before he saw a panicked pledge and Juan coming towards him. "Tell him." Juan spat.

"I…I…"the pledge stuttered.

Eli straightened, frowning down at the kid, eyebrow brow, "Y-y-you what?" Eli snapped.

"I stole the class trip money." The kid whispered. Eli looked around and noticed security wasn't paying attention to their small group yet, but it was only a matter of time. "I didn't know she was working the stand, I swear."

She? "Excuse me?" Eli snapped, "Who you talking about?"

"V." Juan informed him, "The school thinks she did it."

"What?!" Eli nearly lost it, glowering down at the kid who shook. When Veronica appeared a frown on her face.

"Hello boys." She said softly. "Seen any cash lately?"

Eli frowned and then stared at the scared looking kid, "Funny we were just talking about that." He said angrily.

Veronica looked like she was debating something before turning to the kid, "How much was there?"

"What?" The kid looked confused, and to be honest Eli didn't know where she was going with this either.

"You counted it right?" She said slowly, "How much money was in the box?"

"Like 6,000." A smirk spread across her face at the answer.

"Give me a little bit." She said quietly, and glanced at Eli, "Hide it in the auto shop." Then she was gone.

Eli looked at the kid expectantly before telling him to get moving, as he moved to rush off Eli hissed. "You get caught, it was all your idea you hear?" The kid nodded speeding off.

"How do you want to handle him?" Norris asked Eli.

Eli frowned, the kid couldn't even stop shaking and he was curious how he even got in the PCHers to begin with. Instead of answering he turned to Juan, "You want him in your crew next year?"

Juan looked at him surprise, "What?"

"Next year, you'll still be here, right?"

"Yeah." Juan answered slowly.

"You want to ride next to that fool?"

"No."

"Cut him, once this is over." Eli told Norris, "He's out."

It was an hour later that Eli and Veronica and Terrance Cook's daughter, Jackie, were called into Ms. Hauser's classroom. Apparently they had video evidence of who stole the money, when in fact all it proved was Jackie Cook had been carrying her gym bag.

"You know plenty of kids with notorious parents turn out to be decent human beings." Ms. Hauser snarked. She continued to go off about thieves when Eli noticed Veronica staring at the floor and then suddenly climbed on a desk and messing with the ceiling tiles. "What are you doing, get down from there."Ms. Hauser screeched, sounding….well, panicked.

Veronica lifted the ceiling tile and a thick envelope fell into her hands. An envelope of cash. What? "I under estimated the use of glitter." Veronica grinned, "Look at that that, almost a perfect footprint." Sure enough in the glitter on the floor a footprint of a heeled shoe blatantly stood out.

"Shouldn't be too hard to match," Jackie Cook grinned, "Not too many people wear heels to a carnival." She looked pointedly at Ms. Hauser. It didn't take long for Mr. Clemmons to ask Ms. Hauser to raise her foot, showing the incriminating evidence. Eli was confused. But the stupid pledge had stolen the money hadn't he?

Ms. Hauser was brought into Clemmons and they were told to go home. He walked Veronica back to the car a wide smile on her face. "You plant the money?" He asked as she climbed off his bike in front of his house.

Veronica laughed, "No, your money's still in the auto shop." She told him and he was more confused than ever. "She told Clemmons there was 12,000 in the box. There was only 6,000. She was skimming off the top. We'll go get it in a few hours."

Eli smiled, his girl was one smart chica. He grabbed her hand and pulled her up against him as he still straddled the bike. "So is it love, or your undying lust for me?" And he pulled her into a soft kiss.

"Que?" She laughed against his lips.

"That kept you from turing in my crew."

"Love," she smirked, for "rollarcoasters."

"Rollar coasters?" Eli questioned.

"We only raised enough to go to Magic Mountain, not yachting." She informed him. Eli looked at her amazed. He had dreaded the yacht trip, had had been bitching the other day to Corny in Study Hall he had wanted to go to Magic Mountain.

"You're amazing." He informed her, as he got off his bike and led her inside. She didn't argue, just smirked and led him back to his room to waste a couple hours.


End file.
